Tales From the West Wing
by Kitsune Moonstar
Summary: AU. Kisuke Urahara ended up President. Somehow.
1. What Good Sons Do

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**What Good Sons Do**

Shunsui Kyoraku buried his head in his hands and gripped his hair. He had no clue what he was doing. Here he was, a world class political operative, working on the presidential campaign of Senator Szayel Aporro Granz, and he didn't really know what he was doing. He didn't know what they were for or what they were against, except that they seemed to be for winning and against someone else winning. This was not how he had expected running for president to be like. There wasn't the excitement or hope that he had thought there would be. And he had just gotten himself scolded by his candidate.

"Shunsui?"

He looked up to find Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryusai, the former Secretary of Education standing in the doorway. Shunsui smiled and rose to his feet.

"Mr. Secretary, it's good to see you."

"I hope you don't mind that I didn't make an appointment. I'm trying to keep under the radar some."

"Of course, I don't mind." Shunsui ran a hand through his hair; his ponytail was a loss for today anyway. "But the senator just went down for a vote."

"Actually, I came to see you."

"Really?"

Yamamoto nodded. "Yeah."

"What can I do for you?"

"Do you mind if we take a walk?"

And that was how Shunsui found himself strolling the mall with one of his father's best friends. He still wasn't really sure what was going on.

"How's your dad doing? I heard he was in the hospital again."

Shunsui shrugged. "He's fine. They think they got it all this time."

"Is he taking it easy?"

He had to laugh at that. "No. He goes to the office every morning at six and comes home at eight in the evening like always. On the weekends, he gardens and yells at the squirrels."

"Why does he yell at the squirrels?"

"Because they eat the seeds out of the bird feeder."

"You know," Yamamoto stopped in front of the reflecting pool, "they make this thing now--"

Shunsui sighed. "He knows. He just prefers to admonish them. Look, I have to get back to this meeting."

"Shunsui, I want you to come to Nashua, New Hampshire, on Thursday and hear Kisuke Urahara speak."

Shunsui blinked at the man. "I work for Senator Granz."

"Yeah." Yamamoto just smiled at him.

"Mr. Secretary--"

"I'm not in the cabinet any more, Shunsui. You can call me Yama-ji like you used to."

"Look, Granz has the nomination all sewn up."

"Yeah."

"If Urahara wants to be Secretary of Energy or is looking for a slot at the convention, this really isn't--"

"Come to Nashua Thursday night."

"Why?" Shunsui couldn't see the reason behind this.

"Because that's what good sons do for friends of their fathers." Yamamoto turned and started to walk way.

"Mr. Secretary." Shunsui's curiosity was eating him alive.

"Yama-ji." He turned back around.

"Yama-ji, the Democrats are not going to nominate another liberal, academic, former governor from New England. I mean, we're dumb, but we're not that dumb."

Yama-ji smiled at him. "Nah, I think we're exactly that dumb."

Shunsui watched as the man walked away. With a sigh, he flipped open his phone. Time to make some travel arrangements.


	2. The Real Deal

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**The Real Deal**

Jyuushiro Ukitake ran a hand through his hair as he made his way to his office. He wasn't completely comfortable with this assignment. He knew that he was supposed to keep his personal feelings separate from his professional work, but it just felt wrong to be helping an oil company buy a tanker that could quite possibly cause the next major ecological disaster. But the company didn't lose legal protection simply because they made a lot of money, and it was his job.

His secretary was walking down the hall. "Mr. Ukitake? There's a guy waiting in your office who says he's a friend of yours."

"What's his name?" He wasn't expecting any visitors today.

"Shunsui Kyoraku."

"Seriously?" Jyuushiro broke into a smile.

"Yes." The woman looked confused.

Jyuushiro just quickened his pace. He walked into his office to find Shunsui lounged in one of the chairs. This was exactly what he needed to get him out of his funk.

"Shunsui!"

The man was out of his seat in a moment. "Jyuu."

He collected a hug from his best friend. "Good. What about you?"

"Have they made you a partner yet?" Shunsui deflected the question.

"Next month. Hey, I'm hungry. You want go grab a hot dog or something?"

Shunsui raised an eyebrow. "It's nine-thirty in the morning."

"So? Then they'll be fresh."

The two friends made their way down the New York streets. Jyuushiro had a preferred hot dog vendor a couple blocks from his office.

"You know, I was going to call you before I came," Shunsui was saying, "but I couldn't remember the name of your firm."

Jyuushiro rolled his eyes. That was so typically Shunsui. He worked for one of the most famous law firms in the country, and his best friend couldn't remember what it was called.

"So what are you doing here?"

"I'm on my way to Nashua actually."

It was an odd choice since Shunsui's candidate was currently in D.C. "What's in Nashua?"

"A waste of time. Look, you know why I'm here."

Jyuushiro sighed. "You want me to quit my job and come work for Granz."

"He's going to win, Jyuu."

"Then what do you need me for?"

"A better campaign. You were always better at the organizational stuff than I was."

Jyuu bit his lip; it was tempting. "Retsu and I are getting married in September."

Shunsui's eyes lit up. "Congratulations. It's about time. I knew you two were something special."

Jyuushiro got his hotdog. Shunsui kept talking.

"Look, anyway, I should get going."

"Yeah, I have this thing I should get back."

"It was good seeing you."

"It was good seeing you too. Keep in touch. I'll need a best man in September."

Shunsui nodded and started heading for the train station. Jyuushiro hesitated a moment before calling.

"Shunsui?"

Shunsui turned back to face him.

"Senator Granz. He's not the real deal, is he?"

Shunsui froze. "See, the thing you have to know about Granz--"

"It's okay," Jyuushiro cut him off. "Shun. What are you doing?"

Shunsui sighed. "I don't know. What are you doing?"

The answer came too easily. "Protecting oil companies from litigation. They're our client, and they don't lose legal protection just because they make a lot of money."

His friend grinned. "Yeah. I can't believe no one wrote a folksong about that."

It was his turn to grin.

"Hey, Jyuu, if I see the real thing in Nashua, should I tell you about it."

Jyuushiro laughed. "You won't have to. You have a pretty bad poker face."

"Okay. Take it easy."

He watched his friend walk away before sighing. Time to get back to work.


	3. When In Doubt

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**When In Doubt**

"You want another one?"

Toushiro Hitsugaya looked up at the bartender. "Yeah."

The woman beside him sipped at her own drink. "You know, I didn't even know Urahara was running."

"Yeah, we kept that secret pretty well." His drink arrived. "He's speaking at the VFW hall tonight. You should go."

She shrugged. "I'm not very political."

"There'll be free chicken."

She changed the subject. "So you've been a…what do you call it?"

"Professional political operative."

"You've been one all your life."

Toushiro shrugged. "Well, there was awhile back there when I was in elementary school."

She laughed. "Are you any good?"

Well, that was a question. "Yes, I'm very good."

"What's your record?"

"My record?"

"How many elections have you won?"

"All together?"

She nodded.

Toushiro sighed. "Including city council, two Congressional elections, a senate race, a gubernatorial campaign, and a national campaign?"

She nodded again.

He let out a breath. "None."

"None?" Her tone was incredulous.

"You got to be impressed with my consistency."

The woman just shook her head. "So let me ask you this. Why are you drinking so much so early in the day?"

"Because I'm about to get fired." He reached for his coat. "It was nice meeting you."

Toushiro made his way out of the bar. It was true enough that he expected to get fired by the end of today. His coworkers were idiots, but they had worked with the governor longer than he had, and they outnumbered him. Which was too bad, Urahara would make a good president in his opinion. But it didn't surprise him. Toushiro had a way of making enemies. He had been told more than once that he was too honest and didn't know when to shut up. Hell, just ask his ex-wife. No, once Urahara spoke this evening, Toushiro was pretty sure his fate was sealed. Especially given the advice he had given Urahara a half hour ago. Which was he had spent the last half hour getting drunk. He now had another hour and a half to kill before Urahara talk at the VFW hall. Time to find another bar.

He was not drunk out of his mind when he showed up for the talk. Toushiro wasn't stupid. He was pleasantly numb. Which was why he was doing his best to ignore his idiot coworker right now.

"What's he going to say?" Maki Ichinose demanded.

"About what?"

"If he gets the question?"

Toushiro rolled his eyes. "Which question?"

"The New England Dairy Farmer's Compact."

He shrugged. "I don't know."

"What's he going to say?" Clearly the man was an idiot.

"I don't know," Toushiro enunciated clearly.

"You talked to him about the New England D.F.C. if he's asked?"

"Yes."

"You wrote him a memo."

"Yes."

"So what's he going to say?"

"I have no new information since the last time you asked me that question."

Toushiro could hear Urahara droning on answering some question in the background. Ichinose looked about ready to hit him.

"You told him to go ahead and piss off the dairy farmers, didn't you?"

Toushiro just gave the man a look. Ichinose continued to glare at him.

"If he's asked about the New England D.F.C., you told him to piss off the dairy farmers."

"I asked him about his vote. He told me, and I then said that if he's asked about it tonight he should, and only because it's the easiest thing to remember, tell the truth."

Ichinose gave him a look of distain. "Do you enjoy losing?"

"Not really, no." Toushiro rolled his eyes. "Of course, I haven't had much to compare it to."

Ichinose stalked off. Toushiro refocused his attention on Urahara. The man finished answering the question and the next person spoke up. Upon seeing the man, Toushiro sighed. Here it came.

"Governor Urahara, when you were a member of Congress, you voted against the New England Dairy Farming Compact. That vote hurt me sir. That vote hurt me to the tune of maybe ten cents a gallon." The man paused before continuing. "I voted for you three times for Congress. I voted for you twice for Governor, and I'm here sir, and I'd like to ask you for an explanation."

Urahara stood there a moment, pausing, then spoke. "Yeah, I screwed you on that one."

Toushiro watched as one of the people in the audience snapped to attention.

"What?"

Urahara shrugged. "I screwed you. You got hosed. And not just you, a lot of my constituents. You guys got screwed over."

The man who had asked the question had sat down by this point. Toushiro watched blearily. The one guy seemed kind of awed. Urahara kept talking.

"Today, for the first time in history, one in five Americans living in poverty are children. One in five children live in the most abject, dangerous, hopeless, backbreaking, gut wrenching, poverty, one in five, and they're children. If fidelity to freedom and democracy is the code of our civic religion, then, surely, the code of our humanity is faithful service to that unwritten commandment that says 'We shall give our children better than we had.' I voted against the bill because I didn't want it to be hard for people to buy milk. I stopped some money from flowing into your pocket. If that angers you, if you resent me, I completely respect that." There was a pause. "If you expect anything different from the President of the United States, I suggest you vote for somebody else."

Urahara gave the audience a half smile. "Thanks for coming. Hope you enjoyed the chicken."

With the dinner at an end, people started heading out. Toushiro sighed. Time for going over how things went tonight. He might as well face the music.


	4. Faith Will Appear

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Faith Will Appear**

Shigekuni sighed. He was too old for this. That was why he was trying to get Shunsui involved. Shunsui had the stamina and energy for a national campaign. Once the boy announced that he was joining the campaign, he could hand the reins over. But that announcement probably wouldn't come for another few days. But it would come. The look on Shunsui's face tonight had told him that.

However, that didn't get tonight's issues dealt with. If there was going to be a campaign for Shunsui to join, some changes needed to be made. He turned his attention back to the conversation going on.

"What's next?" Urahara was asking.

"The thing about saying his name," Maki Ichinose replied.

"I understand." Urahara looked bored.

"If I could just reframe the point Maki was making," Makoto Kibune said.

"I understood the point Maki was making. I was sitting right next to him when he made it. I'm asking what's next."

"Sir," Ichinose began, "by saying your opponent's name you are basically giving him free advertising."

Kibune continued, "Maki thinks you should call him 'my opponent' or 'the other guy'."

"You don't think it's going to make people think I can't remember his name?" Urahara raised his eyebrows.

"No."

"I think it's going to make me look absent minded. Even if it didn't, it's still a stupid idea. What's next?" Urahara smiled and stood up. "Nothing? Good."

Urahara walked out. Shigekuni sighed. Now came the fun part. He looked at the four remaining men in the room.

"What's next?"

Ichinose sighed. "We have to talk about what happened tonight."

"I think tonight went pretty well. I would have liked to see more of those seats filled though."

"That's not what I'm talking about."

"What are you talking about?" He didn't feel like beating around the bush tonight.

"He's talking about the governor's response tonight." Toushiro Hitsugaya spoke up, drawing everyone's attention. "I'm just guessing. I'm pretty drunk."

Ichinose rolled his eyes. "I am talking about the governor's answer tonight. But it's not just tonight. Every day there's some…look, Toushiro, we can talk about this with you in the room or if you're more comfortable--"

Shigekuni cut him off. "I don't have time to make people comfortable. If a change needs to be made, then it needs to be made. Ichinose, Kibune, Omaeda, you're fired."

"What?" Ichinose looked stunned.

"What?" Hitsugaya looked like he thought he was hallucinating.

"No kidding. I want Toushiro. The rest of you, thanks very much."

Everyone just stared at him. The message didn't seem to be getting through.

"Look at my face. We're done."

The three he had named stalked out of the room. Shigekuni turned to Hitsugaya.

"Don't screw up."

He headed outside. It wasn't hard to spot Urahara standing underneath a streetlight. Shigekuni made his way over.

"Did you just fire Maki Ichinose?"

"Yes."

"You fired him."

"Yes, and Omaeda and Kibune."

Urahara shrugged. "Did you keep anyone?"

"I kept Toushiro Hitsugaya."

"You kept Toushiro Hitsugaya." Urahara rolled his eyes. "And you fired everyone else. Toushiro Hitsugaya is the one I don't know, and he's the one you kept."

Shigekuni caught sight of the governor's driver and waved him over. "Take him home, will you?"

Urahara was not finished. "Those were the only people I know."

"They were worthless. It's time to bring in what we need."

"They were the only people I know."

"Have a good night." Shigekuni headed for his car.

Urahara's voice stopped him. "Why are you doing this? You're a player. You're bigger in the party than I am. Granz would make you national chairman. Yamamoto! Tell me this isn't one of the twelve steps."

He turned around to face the man. "Yes, that's what it is. Right after admitting we're powerless over alcohol and that a higher power can restore us to sanity, that's where you come in."

Urahara just stared at him. Shigekuni sighed. He deserved a real answer.

"Because I'm tired of it year after year after year having to chose between the lesser of who cares? Of trying to get myself excited about a candidate who can speak in complete sentences. Of setting the bar so low, I can hardly look at it. They say a good man can't get elected President. I don't believe that, do you?"

The man looked rather stunned. His voice was quiet. "And you think I'm that man."

"Yes."

"Does it matter that I'm not as sure?"

Shigekuni laughed and shook his head. "No. Act as if you have faith, and faith shall be given unto you. In other words, fake it until you make it. You did good tonight."

Urahara smiled slightly. "Yeah."

They went their separate ways, Shigekuni leaving with a smile.


	5. Poker Face

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Poker Face**

Jyuushiro listened with half an ear to the meeting going on around him. He wasn't entirely sure what he was planning to do, but he knew that he had to do something or his conscience would bother him. It was bothering him already. If he was honest with himself, he would admit that he had gotten to be very good at not listening to his conscience much with this job.

"I think that all that's left is to dot the I's and cross the T's."

Jyuushiro took a breath. "Actually I have a thing. When I was a congressional aide, we had this saying that 'no idea was too stupid to say out loud', so I'm just going to say this. Don't buy these ships. Buy better ships. That's my idea."

The oil company's representative turned to his boss. "What's he talking about?"

His boss nodded. "That's a fair question. Jyuushiro, what the hell are you talking about?"

He continued speaking. "The good news is we have a no-penalty clause we can exercise if we pull out before the first of December."

The oil company's representative shook his head. "But we want these ships. This is as little as we've ever paid for a fleet."

"Well, there's a reason why they don't cost a lot of money. They're twenty year old single hulled ships that nobody wants. When they hit things, they will break. And they will hit things, because they don't have state of the art navigation systems."

"I thought you told us that you covered our liability."

Jyuushiro sighed. "I did. Strictly speaking, I did. But there's a broader liability to think about. People don't like oil spills. They drive past gas stations that belong to companies that cause oil spills."

"We have PR departments to deal with PR problems."

"There's a Suez tanker ready to launch in the Koje Island shipyard in Korea. Chevron just dropped the option, and it's sitting there in its cradle. Let's go get it." He didn't seem to be getting through to them.

His boss sighed. "Jyuushiro, can I talk you for a second?"

He followed the man out into the hall, still speaking, "308,000 deadweight tons, carries two point two million gallons, and you can have it today for forty-six million."

"Forty-six million dollars?"

"It's a good price!"

His boss shut the door to the conference room and looked at him. "Jyuushiro, what are you doing?"

"I think I have an obligation."

"What are you doing?"

Jyuushiro ran a hand through his hair. "Maybe they want to buy safer boats, but we never gave them the option."

"Are you trying to get fired?"

He honestly didn't know. He just knew that he knew that he had to do this if he wanted to sleep at night. He spoke quietly, "Maybe they're really going to thank us for this suggestion."

His boss snarled. "Knock it off!"

Jyuu sighed. "Look--"

"Knock it off!" The man cut him off and went back inside the room.

Taking a deep breath, Jyuushiro followed him, returning to his seat. He was still preoccupied with the idea of getting them to actually listen and was tuning out most of the conversation around him. There just had to be some way to make them see.

"Jyuushiro," one of his coworkers spoke. "15 million pre-tax amortization."

"Eleven million extra dollars."

His coworker groaned as did his boss.

"Jyuushiro!"

The oil company representative looked mildly annoyed. "We're back to

this."

"Money's going to be spent. You can spend it now, or you can spend it later,

but it's cheaper to spend it now. And it's also the right thing to do. Spend 11 million extra dollars."

"Jyuushiro!" His boss sound really annoyed.

"Spend it on a better boat."

"Damn it!"

Jyuushiro was pretty sure he had just lost the chance to become a partner at this firm, but he had to keep going. "The Amoco Cadiz, sixty-eight million gallons of crude oil off of Brittany, France. The Braer, a Liberian tanker, twenty-six million gallons off the Shetland Islands. I just pulled these off the internet last night! The Exxon Valdez. The Aegean Sea. The Argo Merchant. Look it up! Spend an extra 11 million dollars!"

"Jyuushiro, that's enough!"

"You don't want to pay for it? Pass the expense on to us. Half a penny at the tank. Here's five bucks. A thousand people are on me."

"Jyuushiro!"

Before his boss could say anything else, there was a knock on the glass conference room window. Jyuushiro looked up to see Shunsui standing there, dripping wet.

"Jyuushiro."

He didn't look away from Shunsui's face"

"Jyuushiro, we're in the middle of a meeting."

"Yeah."

The oil company representative started talking again. Jyuushiro was focused on Shunsui's face.

"Jyuushiro, we're not indifferent to the concerns of the environmentalists... Excuse me, Jyuushiro?"

Shunsui pointed at his face. Jyuushiro nodded, a warm feeling filing him. Shunsui had found the real thing. He had actually found the real thing in a candidate.

"Yeah."

"It doesn't quite feel like I have your attention."

They didn't. Jyuushiro couldn't bring himself to really care. He wasn't staying here anyway.

"Yeah."

Shunsui pointed to his face and smiled. Jyuushiro would bet he was grinning rather foolishly right now. He started to laugh. This was real. Shunsui had found what they were looking for in a political candidate, and they had an election to go win. Jyuu laughed, looking down at the papers in his hands before dropping them on the table.

"I'm not going to need that."

He rose to his feet and headed for the door, ignoring the sound of his boss' voice.

"Jyuushiro? Jyuushiro! Jyuushiro, please keep your seat! Jyuushiro, where are you going?"

Shunsui opened the door for him. Jyuushiro stepped through it before turning back to call.

"New Hampshire!"


	6. Avert Thy Eyes

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Avert Thy Eyes**

Rangiku was having the day from hell. It had started with a phone call at six in the morning which was an unreasonable hour for anyone to be awake at, even if they hadn't been up as late as she had last night. Her boss had wanted her to come into the office. It was her day off, but her boss had been insistent, so Rangiku dragged herself out of bed. Things had gone downhill from there. She had been unable to get her contacts in, losing one of them in the process, and had to resort to wearing her glasses so she could drive into the office. Then she had promptly broken her glasses getting out of the car.

The reason she had been called in to the office at an ungodly hour was because one of the firm's richest clients had wanted to see her. Apparently, he was upset because instead of the third most powerful person in Hollywood this year he was the tenth. And his movies hadn't gotten that many Emmy nominations. That was because they were bad movies. If they had been unknown movies, Rangiku could have done something with the publicity, but the movies were bad, and she couldn't change that. He didn't see it that way. He thought it was her fault, and her boss had taken her out into the hall and fired her. In front of everyone who was out in the hallway. She had then needed someone to call her a cab since she couldn't drive without her glasses.

After a taxi ride that took far too long, all Rangiku wanted to do was take a long bath and go back to bed. She made her way up the steps to her house, the box of stuff from her desk heavy in her arms. She had just made it up to the pool when she squinted. She would swear there was someone sitting in one of her pool chairs.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Rangiku." The voice was familiar, but all Rangiku could see was a blurry blob.

"Who is that?" She made her way around the edge of the pool towards the voice.

"It's me."

"Toushiro?"

"Yeah."

She hadn't seen him in almost three years. "What the hell are you--"

Rangiku slipped. She hadn't seen how close to the pool she was and fell right in. Instinct kicked in, and she pushed her way to the surface, sputtering. This was not her day.

"Rangiku, you fell into the pool there." Toushiro's voice came from in front of her and to the right.

"I can't see!" Not well enough at least. Especially not now with chlorine stinging her eyes.

"Yeah, well, maybe you could kind of try to feel your way to dry land?"

That was Toushiro, sarcastic as ever. There really was only one way to deal with him right now. It wasn't like he had offered help. "Shut up!"

It wasn't that hard for her to find the edge of the pool, and Rangiku readied to pull her up out of the water. A thought occurred to her. "Avert your eyes!"

"What?" He sounded puzzled.

"I'm climbing out of the pool. My clothes will be clingy. Avert your eyes!" There was only one man she was willing to give a free show to, and it wasn't Toushiro.

He laughed. "Rangiku I really didn't come here--"

She snarled. "Avert your eyes."

"Okay." Now he sounded properly cowed.

Rangiku heaved herself up onto the side of the pool. Her dress clung to every inch of her, and despite of attempts to make it look decent, the wet fabric didn't want to cooperate. With a sigh, she rolled her eyes.

"Oh, turn around." She could see him a little better now that they were closer, and luckily for her, there were towels on her deck chairs. Toushiro handed her one.

"I tried calling you at your office. They said you were fired. Were you

stealing things?"

Rangiku rolled her eyes again. "Jin Kariya dropped from third most powerful person in Hollywood to ninth most powerful person in Hollywood."

"Does he still make the playoffs, or is the cutoff line--" Toushiro's voice was properly sarcastic.

She cut him off. "They take it seriously."

Toushiro fidgeted a little. "Rangiku, Kisuke Urahara is very impressed with you."

She blinked startled. Kisuke Urahara knew who she was? Toushiro was still talking. "He likes the work that you did with that girl's group with the stupid name."

It took her a moment to figure out what he was talking about. "Emily's List?"

"Yes."

She rolled her eyes again. "That girl's group with the stupid name? Emily's List: early money is like yeast."

"Yeah."

It wasn't a stupid name. It even had a punch line. "It helps raise the dough."

"I get it." He was sounding defensive now.

Rangiku didn't care. It had been one of her favorite jobs. "They raise money for women candidates. Early money is like yeast, it helps raise the dough. For the candidates."

Toushiro sighed. "I really do get it."

She let the subject drop for now. "Urahara's impressed with me?"

"Very impressed. And one of the big keys to his game plan is bringing you on as Press Secretary."

Rangiku just shook her head. The answer was a little too quick. "He's never heard of me, has he?"

"No," Toushiro admitted.

Rangiku sighed. "Toushiro--"

He cut her off. "I'm here on instructions from Shunsui Kyoraku."

Rangiku blinked. She knew that name. Kyoraku was looking to be every bit as powerful in the party as Shigekuni Yamamoto. The last she had heard though, he was working for Senator Granz.

"Kyoraku wants me?"

"Yes. Come join the campaign." She would guess he was smiling by the tone of his voice.

"How much does it pay?"

"How much were you making before?"

Ran smiled. "$550,000 a year."

"This pays six hundred dollars a week."

"So this would be less." She deadpanned. Not that it really mattered to her. Rangiku had been wise with her savings and investments. She just wanted to make Toushiro squirm.

"Yes."

She took a deep breath. This was what she wanted to do. Had always wanted to do, but still…

"Toushiro, does he know I've only ever worked statewide? Does he know I've never worked on a national campaign before?"

Toushiro nodded. "Yes. It's Graduation Day."

"You really think I can do this?" She wasn't entirely sure she could.

"Yes."

Then there really was only one last thing that mattered. "Is Kisuke Urahara a good man?"

"Yeah."

The answer wasn't as serious as she wanted. This was important to her. She glared at him. "Toushiro."

"Yes." Something in his tone told her he was serious.

Rangiku smiled and nodded. "Then, let's go into the house so I can change my clothes and we can talk about it."

She started heading towards the blur that looked like a house.

Toushiro cleared his throat. "Rangiku?"

"Yes?"

"The house is over there." He was trying not to laugh.

Damn her being nearsighted. She was finding another pair of contacts and putting them in as soon as she got inside. This was ridiculous.

"Okay." A thought occurred to her. "By the way, do you need any good speechwriters? I know someone…"


	7. Valuable

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Valuable**

Shunsui headed for his office to get the file for the thing. He strode in, grabbed the folder, and made to leave before doing a double take. There was a woman on his phone. She was petite, pretty, and she couldn't have finished college yet.

"I can get your name and number and give Mr. Kyoraku the message when he gets back. Thank you very much." She hung up the phone.

Shunsui smiled. "Hi."

"Hello." Her voice was a soft alto.

"Who are you?"

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm Nanao Ise. Who are you?"

"I'm Shunsui Kyoraku."

She blinked. "Oh."

He nodded. "Yes."

Nanao adjusted her glasses. "I'm your new assistant."

Shunsui racked his brain. "Did I have an old assistant?"

Nanao tilted her head to the side. "Maybe not."

He was just confused. "Who are you?"

"I'm Nanao Ise. I came here to volunteer, and the woman assigned me to you."

He noted the change in her story. "Which woman?"

She frowned a little. "Kiyoshi."

"You mean Kiyone?" That would make a little more sense.

"Yes."

Shunsui had the sinking feeling that she really wasn't supposed to be here. "Who are you?"

She sighed. "I'm Nanao Ise. I'll be working as your assistant."

Shunsui shook his head. "I'm going to talk to Kiyone."

Nanao bit her lip. "Actually, Mr. Kyoraku…"

"Yeah?" Now they were getting to it.

"When I said I was assigned to you?" Her voice was soft. "I may have been overstating it a little."

"Who are you?" He wanted the truth this time.

She tucked the same strand of hair behind her ear again; it kept coming loose the bun she wore. She looked awfully young to him. She wore jeans and a faded violet top that matched her eyes.

"I'm Nanao Ise. I drove up here from Bellingham, Washington."

It was his turn to sigh. "When did your boyfriend break up with you?"

Her eyes went cold as did her tone. "What makes you think that my boyfriend broke up with me?"

Shunsui fiddled with the folder in his hands feeling uncomfortable. "Well, you're too old for your parents to have kicked you out of the house."

Her face tightened at that. "I'm here because I want to work for Urahara."

"Where did you study?" Not that it was probably going to make a difference in the long run.

"University of Washington," came her prompt reply.

"And your major?"

"Political Science and History with minors in English and Anthropology."

That was quite a course load. "You had two majors and two minors in four years?"

Nanao voice was soft again as she looked away. "Two years."

Which meant that she hadn't graduated. Shunsui hated having to do this to people. "Okay, listen--"

She cut him off with a voice full of sad conviction. "I had to drop out."

He knew this story. "Your boyfriend was older than you?"

She met his eyes, her own sad and vulnerable. "My parents spent the rest of my college money trying to find my older sister when she disappeared. They ruined the family finances enough that I can't get any sort of loan. My scholarships couldn't cover full tuition."

Damn. He had been right about the parents. Not an older boyfriend who took advantage of her after all.

"And why did your parents kick you out of the house?"

"What makes you think they kicked me out?"

Shunsui sighed again. "Nanao, this is a campaign for the Presidency, and there's nothing I take more seriously than that. This can't be a place where people come to find their confidence and start over."

"Why not?"

Her question rang in his ears. "I'm sorry?"

"Why can't it be those things?"

"Because--"

She cut him off before he could even start explaining. "What, is it going to interfere with my typing?"

He admired her strength and audacity. "Nanao, we're picking up today and going to South Carolina. If you want to stay in the Manchester office--"

"I want to come to Charleston." Her gaze was level.

She was one of the most stubborn women he had ever met.

"I can't carry you, Nanao! I've got a lot of guys out there not making the trip."

"I'll pay my own way."

"With what?" He didn't think she was in a position to do that.

Nanao took a deep breath. "I'll sleep on the floor. I'll sell my car. Eventually, you're going to put me on salary."

"Nanao." He didn't want to hurt her more than she had already been. This young woman was clearly vulnerable and strong at the same time, and he couldn't help but like her. But she wasn't really qualified.

"Look. I think I might be good at this. I think you might find me valuable."

His office phone rang. He held her stare for a moment and it rang again. Shunsui let out a soft sigh.

"Go ahead."

Nanao snatched up the phone. "Urahara for America, Shunsui Kyoraku's office."

Her tone was firm and confident. "Yes, I think I'm going to have someone from the press office get back to you if it's related to…"

Shunsui glanced around his office. It had been a chaotic mess early. Now it was all neatly organized with everything he need for today on order sitting on top of his desk. He glanced back at Nanao who was still on the phone.

"Yes."

With a smile he pulled off his own campaign id badge and held it out to her. Nanao took it with the first smile he had seen from her. She had a beautiful smile.


	8. Winning and Losing

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Winning and Losing**

Shunsui scanned the room as he waited for someone at the other end of the phone line to pick up. All the TV's in the room where set to news channels that were following the primary. This was the last primary. If they won it, then they had the Democratic nomination. He listened as Gin Ichimaru briefed Jyuu on how things were going.

"We're starting to get some good exit polling at Stark County and Rock Island."

"How good?" Jyuu was nothing if not precise.

"We're running at fifty-three to fifty-eight with the undecideds from seventy-two hours ago at the twelfth, the fourteenth, and the fifteenth." Gin's perpetual smiled seemed genuine right now.

"That's the Money!" Jyuu beamed before turning to him. "Who are you talking to?"

Shunsui sighed. "I'm talking to nobody. There's no one at my house."

A look of concern crossed Jyuu's face. "What's going on?"

He shrugged. "Nothing. My dad had his chemo today. These exit polls are going to cheer him up."

Before Jyuu had a chance to respond to that, Yoruichi Urahara joined them.

"Jyuushiro, is there any food in this room that isn't fried?"

Jyuu laughed; unhealthy food had been a long running joke throughout the campaign so far. "Well, if there is, let's get rid of it."

"I'm not kidding."

She probably wasn't; Jyuu changed the subject. "Good exits from Stark County and Rock Island."

Her eyes lit up. "How good?"

Jyuushiro beamed. "They're good."

"Jyuushiro!" Urahara called as he entered the room, holding a several papers and looking grumpy. "What the hell is this?"

Shunsui recognized the work. "That's Gin's draft of your victory remarks.

"I congratulate my opponent on a well-fought campaign in Illinois?" He quoted directly from the draft.

"You don't want to congratulate him?" Jyuushiro asked carefully.

"Yes, I want to congratulate him, but I'd like to call him by his name! Are

we back to this old crap again?"

"Governor, we just--" Shunsui began.

Urahara cut him off. "Jyuushiro, I want to go over this whole thing with you."

Jyuu nodded at Shunsui. "Excuse me."

Shunsui shook his head as they walked out of the room. For all that Kisuke Urahara was a good man and a great candidate, he was also prickly at times and difficult to work with. He hadn't really gotten to know most of the campaign staff yet, and there were times when it felt like they were being taken for granted and that they're best just wasn't good enough for the man.

Yoruichi looked at him with a knowing smile. "You can say it, you know. It's not like I haven't heard it before."

Shunsui sighed. "Your husband's a real son of a bitch at times, Mrs. Urahara."

"He doesn't like being handled."

"Well, I think that if he looked around, he'd see that nobody's handling him." It was true enough.

"He's not ready yet, Shunsui. He's terrified." She admitted quietly.

"Well, is he going to be ready?" If he wasn't, then they had a problem.

"You bet your ass he will. In the meantime, you want to kick something, kick me."

She headed towards the TVs, and Shunsui shook his head again. Yoruichi Urahara was one hell of a woman. He hoped that her husband knew how lucky he was. Gin, Rangiku, and Toushiro were clustered around one of the TVs. It was clear that something was finally happing. Shunsui hung up the phone. He would try calling his dad again later.

"Here it comes!" Rangiku called excitedly.

The woman the TV was smiling. "With seventeen percent of the precincts reporting, we are now ready to call the Illinois primary for former New Hampshire Governor Kisuke Urahara."

Whoops and cheers filled the air. Toushiro was actually smiling. Gin lifted Rangiku off her feet, twirling her around and kissing her. The song Celebration filled the air. Jyuushiro appeared beside him, and Shunsui hugged his best friend. They had done it.

"Way to go! Now, let's get to California. We have a nomination to accept and an election to win."

Jyuu crossed the room to take his fiancée in his arms. Shunsui laughed and called after him.

"Jyuu, we've got to replace this music. We've got to replace it with some

Queen!"

He didn't notice Nanao approaching him until she was almost in front of him. Her face was solemn and sad.

"Shunsui?"

He grabbed her hands with a smile. "Nanao, you've got to get happy! You just won the Illinois Primary. Come dance with me!"

She held his hands tight, holding him in place. Her voice was soft but clear. "No, Shunsui. Shunsui, your father died."

He stared at her stunned. He could still hear the party going on around them, but he was focused on Nanao and her words. His father was dead. They had won the Illinois primary, but his father was dead.


	9. You Got To Have Heart

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**You Got to Have Heart**

Shunsui could hear the TV droning from his seat in the waiting are. The news was covering their success.

"...very happy Bartlet Supporters. We are told the candidate is in the suite,

refining his remarks. He's due to be down here at any moment. Just over an hour ago..."

It didn't really sink in though. Shunsui was just sort of numb. His father was dead. After everything had been going so well, after the chemo seemed to be working, his father was dead. A man in a dark suit crossed his field of vision. Shunsui didn't really do more than think it was odd that he was standing there in the waiting area when there were plenty of chairs free. Another man in the same suit came and stood on his other side. What weird people.

"Shunsui?"

He immediately recognized the voice and jumped his feet. "Governor!"

Kisuke Urahara stood there with his hands shoved in his pockets and a look of gentle compassion. "Your father died, Shunsui. I can't believe it."

Shock overrode his numbness. Urahara should be getting ready to make his speech, not checking up on him. "Yeah. Uh, Governor, you, you shouldn't be here."

"What happened?" Urahara ignored him, taking the seat next to Shunsui's.

Shunsui awkwardly sat down again. He wasn't really sure how to deal with this. He really didn't know Urahara that well.

"He went for his chemotherapy, and he unexpectedly developed a pulmonary embolism." Shunsui struggled to explain. "It's a--"

"It's a blood clot." Urahara spoke with understanding.

"Yeah. It went to his heart and there was cardiac arrest." Somehow saying it made it more real.

"Yeah." The governor's tone was supportive, understanding. "Yeah."

Shunsui took a deep breath, trying to focus. "Governor, you should really get back to the ballroom, so that you can get on a plane and get to California."

"He was a lawyer?" Urahara asked.

"Yes, a litigator." Not the best ever, but a good one.

"Did he like that you were in politics?"

Shunsui smiled wryly. "I think he would have liked grandchildren more."

Urahara chuckled; he had become a grandfather three years ago. "He would've."

"He liked that I was working for you. He liked that we were starting to do well. He would've liked tonight. At least his friends and neighbors will be spared all the…you know…" his voice trailed off.

"He'd have been doing some bragging?"

Shunsui smiled, thinking of his dad. "Yeah, and your name wouldn't have come up by the way. 'My son won the Illinois primary tonight.' Three more hours, and he would have been able to say that. He'd have been proud."

Urahara put a hand on his should. "He was already. Trust me, Shunsui, I'm a father. He was already."

"I appreciate that, Governor. You should really get back to the hotel."

"No, I'm okay."

What was with this man? "Sir, not that I don't appreciate you coming down here, but there's a ballroom full of people waiting for a victory speech."  
"They'll wait."

But waiting could lose the campaign its momentum. "Yes, they will, but the people watching television won't."

True to form so far, Urahara changed the subject. "I've been a real jackass to you, Shunsui. To everybody: Toushiro Hitsugaya, Rangiku Matsumoto, Gin Ichimaru."

If he was admitting to the fact, it wouldn't hurt to agree with him. "Yeah."

"Don't think I don't know what you gave up to work on this campaign, and don't think that I don't know your value. And I'll never make you think I don't again." He grinned. "You got to be a little impressed that I got all those names right just now."

Shunsui chuckled.

"Delta Airlines Flight 175 to Kennedy International now boarding."

"They're calling my flight." He rose to his feet.

Urahara followed suit. "You want me to go with you?"

Shunsui stopped short. This man had just won his party's primary race and stead of going to make his victory speech, he was offering to go home with Shunsui. "Go with me?"

"Maybe you want some company on the plane." Urahara was checking his pockets for a wallet. "I could get a ticket and come with you."

Shunsui smiled and shook his head. "Governor! California. You have to go the ballroom and give a victory speech in primetime and go to California."

He smiled, sticking his hands in his pockets again. "I guess you're right."

Shunsui laughed; Urahara really was a good man. "You guess I'm right? Listen to me, Governor, if you don't lose this election, it isn't going to be because you didn't try hard enough. But it was nice of you to ask. Thank you, I appreciate it."

Urahara nodded and spoke softly. "They're calling your flight."

Shunsui nodded, taking once last glance at the man before heading for his gate. Kisuke Urahara really was the right man to be president, and they were going to win the election.


	10. What's Next?

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU.

* * *

**What's Next**

Kisuke watched as Shunsui went through the gate. He had been telling the truth when he said he appreciated what his staff had given up to work on his campaign. And he wasn't going to disappoint them again. There were quiet footsteps as Jyuushiro appeared beside him. Despite the fact that he had only known his campaign manager a few months, he had come to trust and rely on the man. The fact that Shunsui was Jyuushiro's best friend should really have made Kisuke realize that his staff was serious about this campaign. He needed to be just as serious about. It was a long shot without a chance of winning any more.

"Is he going to be all right?" There was concern Jyuushiro's voice. No one had expected the death of Shunsui's father.

"He's going to be fine." Kisuke was certain of that. Especially given the young woman working as Shunsui assistant. Everyone had seen what a difference she had made in keeping Shunsui organized and on time.

"Good."

Kisuke turned to face Jyuushiro, his decision made. "Jyuushiro?"

"Yeah."

Kisuke met the man's eyes. "I'm ready."

Jyuushiro smiled and nodded. "Good. Let's go. You have a victory speech to give."


	11. A Normal Morning at the Office

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**A Normal Morning at the Office**

Jyuushiro Ukitake liked his morning routine. It was rare that he actually got all the way through it, but it was still nice to have most days start the same way. Of course, with both his and Retsu's jobs, it wasn't surprising that they were interrupted nearly every morning. Jyuu couldn't help grinning as he continued to work on his crossword puzzle. He still remembered Urahara's reaction to finding out just who Jyuu's fiancée was. It had been: "Does that mean I can't make her the Surgeon General now?"

In addition to her duties as Surgeon General, Retsu also worked at one of the hospitals in D.C. Actually, it was the same hospital that would be the primary care facility should something happen to President Urahara while he was in D.C. She was busy, but she was also enjoying herself far more than she had been in New York, and that made Jyuu happy. He suddenly frowned as he read the next clue.

"Seventeen across is wrong. It's just wrong. Do you believe that, Retsu?"

She laughed from the kitchen where she was fixing a cup of tea. Retsu was used to his complaints about the mistakes in the daily crossword puzzles. "You should call them."

"I will call them." It boggled his mind how people missed fact checking these things.

The phone rang. Jyuushiro ignored it. He could only imagine what it might be given the things he already knew he'd face the minute he got into the office. It rang again.

"Telephone, Jyuu." Retsu called.

"I'm in the shower."

He could almost hear her roll her eyes. "It's POTUS."

With a sigh, Jyuushiro reached for the phone. "Yes?"

* * *

Rangiku smiled at the man running on the treadmill next to her own. "You

can have a normal life. You'd be amazed at how normal I can be. See, it's all about budgeting your time. This time, this hour, this is my time. Five a.m. to six a.m. I can workout, as you see. I can think about personal matters. I can meet an interesting man."

The beeper on her waistband began to buzz. Ran ignored it and kept talking. "The trick is--"

The guy next to her cut her off. "Your beeper's going."

"What?" She really didn't want to answer that right now.

"I think your beeper is going."

With a sigh, Rangiku reached for her beeper, still running. As she read the message her pace slowed. The next thing she knew Rangiku was falling on her ass and off the treadmill. So much for her time this morning.

* * *

A beeping noise pulled him out his dreams. Shunsui blinked wearily, trying to figure out where he was. He'd fallen asleep at his desk. That was the only place that was this cluttered. His beeper was going. He glanced at it before grabbing the phone and dialing.

"Yes. This is Shunsui Kyoraku. What's going on?"

* * *

Toushiro leaned back in his seat, editing the speech again for the fifth time. He ignored the voice that was coming over the speakers.

"We ask at this time that you turn off all electronic devices, stow your tray tables,

and return your seatbacks to the full and upright position. We will be landing shortly at Washington-Dulles Airport."

A woman came up to him. "Sir, I need you to turn off your computer."

He didn't look up. "I'm just about done."

The flight attendant sighed. "I need you to turn off your laptop, sir. It interferes with our navigational systems."

Toushiro rolled his eyes at her. "You know when you guys say that, it sounds ridiculous to most people, right?"

"Sir--"

Another flight attendant interrupted her. "Mr. Hitsugaya? A message was just patched up to the cockpit for you. I'm not sure I've got it right. POTUS in a bicycle accident?"

He sighed and pulled out his cell phone. "You got it right."

The first woman glared at him. "You can't use your phone until we land, sir."

Toushiro gave her a look. "We're flying in a Lockheed eagle series L-1011. It came off the line twenty months ago and carries a Sim-5 Transponder tracking system. Are you telling me I can still flummox this thing with something I bought at Radio Shack?"

She gave an exasperated sigh. "You can call when we land, sir."

As she started to walk away, Toushiro called, "Also, I never got my peanuts."

* * *

Rangiku was going to kill him. That was the first thought in Gin's mind when he woke. He really hadn't planned on this happening. He had just planned on meeting some old college buddies for a few drinks. It really wasn't his thing, but given where some of them had ended up, it wouldn't hurt to go and keep those connections open. However, somehow a few had turned into drinking the night away. Gin had ended up crashing at one of the guys' sister's house. Gin had woken up with a hangover, and some potentially danger to his life if any reporters had somehow noticed what had happened last night and ask questions at the press briefing. Rangiku had been very clear about how she felt about any of the "idiot boys" as she called them giving reporters any reason to make her life more difficult.

Gathering up his jacket and shoes, Gin decided to make a quiet exit. He frowned when he realized that his pager was missing. He hoped he hadn't lost it. A noise in the kitchen and the smell of coffee alerted him to the fact that he wasn't the only one awake. Gin bit back a groan. He just had to crash at the place of the guy whose younger sister had a crush on him. She smiled and held out a cup of coffee.

"Good morning," she chirped. "I'd made you some coffee. I haven't seen you in so long, Gin."

He made a noncommittal sound. There was only one woman Gin wanted in his life, and this definitely wasn't it. And he still needed to find his pager.

"Oh, wait. I'm sorry. I almost forgot." She giggled. "Your message -- your pager went off while you were in asleep. I hit the button because I thought it was mine."

He rather doubted she had, but at least now he knew where his pager had gone.

"It said 'Potus in a bicycle accident. Come to the office.' I memorized it just in case I erased it on accident." She looked down at the pager in her hand, continuing to chatter. "This thing looks exactly like mine. Anyway, what would you like for breakfast? I can whip you up something really quick."

Gin was incredibly thankful that he had a reason to escape. "I have to go."

"You're kidding me. It's five-thirty in the morning."

"I really got to go."

"Because Potus was in a bicycle accident?" She now sounded sarcastic.

"Yup." He loved his job.

With an exaggerated sigh, she wrote down her number and handed both it and the pager to him. "Tell your friend, Potus, he's got a funny name. And he should learn how to ride a bicycle."

Gin smirked. "I would, but he's not my friend. He's my boss and it's not his name, it's his title."

"Potus?" She sounded disbelieving.

Gin laughed. "President of the United States. Keep the number. I won't be calling you."

At least he probably wouldn't have to worry about questions about drunken White House Staffers at the press briefing today. It sounded like there was going to be more interest some place else today.


	12. Morning Meetings

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Morning Meetings**

Jyuu followed a familiar path through the security checkpoints on the way to his office. One of the guards smiled at him.

"It's a nice morning, Mr. Ukitake."

Jyuushiro laughed. "We'll take care of that in a hurry. Won't we, Sentaro?"

"Yes, sir."

He had barely made it into the working part of the West Wing when Toshiro's assistant, Hiyori, handed him a sheaf of papers.

"Don't kill the messenger, Jyuushiro."

He glanced down at the papers and frowned; it was going to be a long day. "Oh why the hell not?"

"Five minutes?"

"Please."

He made his way through the bullpen, making morning greetings as he passed familiar staffers. Jyuushiro caught sight of Shunsui's assistant at her desk. Shunsui's office door was open.

"Shunsui!"

Nanao looked up from her coffee. "Morning, Jyuushiro."

"Hey, Nanao. Is he in yet?"

She absently stirred her coffee. "Yes."

"Can you get him?"

Nanao smiled at him and then, in a voice that would make a drill sergeant proud, called, "Shunsui!"

He smiled wryly. "Thanks."

"I heard it's broken." Her voice was slightly teasing.

"You heard wrong."

"I heard--"

Jyuushiro cut her off. Better get the truth out their quickly. The office grapevine always went to Nanao for verification of facts. "It's a mild sprain. He'll be back later today."

"And what was the cause of the accident?"

He sighed. "What are you, an agent from State Farm? Do a job will you."

She gave him a stern look. "I'm just--"

Jyuushiro interrupted her again. It was clear that Nanao wasn't going to let the subject drop until she had the details. "He was swerving to avoid a tree."

"What happened?"

"He was unsuccessful."

And as Shunsui had yet to emerge from his office, it looked like Jyuushiro was going to need to drag him out. He strode into to his best friend's office to find him on the phone.

"Yeah. That's fine. Just don't do anything until Justice…okay. Bye." Shunsui hung up the phone and looked up at him. "Hey."

Jyuushiro sighed. "How many Cubans, exactly, have crammed themselves into these fishing boats?"

"It's important to understand, Jyuu, that by and large, these aren't fishing boats. You hear fishing boats, and you conjure an image of, well, of a boat, first of all. What the Cubans are on would charitably be described as rafts. Okay? They're making the hop from Havana to Miami in fruit baskets basically. Let's just be clear on that."

He fought to keep from smiling. "We are."

"Nanao's desk, if it could float, would look good to them right now."

"I get it. How many are there?"

Shunsui sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "We don't know."

"What time, exactly, did they leave?"

Shunsui sighed again. "We don't know."

Jyuu raised an eyebrow, not liking this pattern. "Do we know when they get here?"

"No."

This was ridiculous. It was his turn to sigh. "True or false: If I were to stand on high ground in Key West with a good pair of binoculars, I would be as informed as I am right now."

Shunsui smiled, sort of. "That's true."

"The intelligence budget's money well spent, isn't it?"

The two men made their way out of Shunsui's office and through the halls.

"Tell them to send the Coast Guard, Jyuu."

"The Coast Guard won't--"

"I understand! But, they're never going to make it to our territorial waters." Shunsui exclaimed. He paused a moment. "What if the D.A. suspected they had drugs?"

"Does the D.A. suspect they have drugs?"

"We could make a phone call." He offered.

"Shun!"

"If the D.A. or Navy Intelligence thought the Cubans were bringing in drugs, wouldn't we have to go out there and search those rafts with, you know, guns and blankets?" Shunsui persisted.

Jyuushiro felt it was time to change the subject. "You look like hell. You know that, don't you?"

"Yes. I do. Listen, Jyuu. Did he say anything?"

"Did he say anything? The President's pissed as hell at you, Shunsui. And so am I."

His friend sighed. "I know."

"You got to work with these people. You don't lose your temper like that. That's why we sent you on instead of Gin or Toushiro."

"I know." His voice was quiet.

"Zommari Leroux is a good man."

"Zommari Leroux wasn't there."

"I'm saying, you take everyone on the Christian Right, dump them into one big pile, and label them 'stupid'. We need these people."

"We do not need these people," Shunsui protested.

"Shun."

"We need Zommari Leroux. We want Zommari Leroux. We do not need Nnoitra Jiruga. And we do not need Tia Hallibel."

"And I think there shouldn't be instant replay in football, but that's not my call, now, is it?"

Shunsui stopped walking as their paths came to a divergence.

"It was stupid," he admitted.

"Damn straight."

"And, Jyuu, she provoked me before hand. She called Nanao a jumped up whore who was indicative of how this adminstration hired people just before we went on air." Shunsui's voice was soft. "I know. It was still stupid. I was right, though."

As he continued on to the Oval Office, Jyuushiro muttered, "Like I don't know that" under his breath. Hallibel's comments went along way to explaining why Shunsui blew up on live television though. Even if he was the only one who heard that comment about Nanao. Shunsui was incredibly protective of his assistant, and while she might not have the typical credentials for her position, it was also true that Shunsui's entire office would fall apart without Nanao Ise.

Ururu Tsumugiya, the president's secretary, stood up and followed him as Jyuu made his way through the outer Oval Office and into the famous room.

"Oh, Mr. Ukitake. Have they done an X-Ray?"

"Yup."

"Is anything broken?"

Jyuushiro sighed. "A four thousand dollar Lynex Titanium touring bike that I swore I'd never lend anyone."

"I don't understand. How did he--"

"He's a klutz, Ms. Tsumugiya. Your president's a geek."

The dark haired woman frowned at him. "Mr. Ukitake, you know how I feel about that kind of talk in the Oval Office."

"I apologize." He replied with a smile.

"Just in this room, Mr. Ukitake. That's all I'm asking."

"Yes." He exited the Oval Office through a side door that led directly to his own office. Hiyori was waiting for him. "Oh, Hiyori. Call O.E.O.B. and set up a briefing for the Vice President. Let's coordinate with Mizuiro Kojima's office on the appointments."

"Should I get everybody in?" She asked as she headed out the door.

"Yeah!" Sticking his head out of his office door, Jyuushiro spoke to his own assistant. "Kiyone. Please call the editor of the New York Times crossword and tell him that 'Khaddafi' is spelled with an h, and two d's, and isn't a seven letter word for anything."

Kiyone just looked at him. "Is this for real? Or is this just funny?"

Jyuu sighed. "Apparently, it's neither."

It didn't take long before his office was filled by the senior staff. Their assistants wandered in and out of the room bringing information and updates. Rangiku perched on the arm of his couch, sipping a very large coffee.

"Is there anything I can say, other than the President rode his bicycle into a tree?" She asked.

"He hopes never to do it again," he offered.

The woman shook her head. "Seriously. They're laughing pretty hard."

"He rode his bicycle into a tree, Rangiku. What do you want me to say? 'The President, while riding a bicycle on his vacation in Jackson Hole, came to a sudden arboreal stop.' What do you want from me?"

"A little love, Jyuushiro."

He turned his attention to Gin. "What do you know about the Cubans?"

The silver haired man smiled. "I don't know anymore than Shunsui. Somewhere between twelve hundred and two thousand Cubans began embarking from a fishing village thirty miles south of Havana."

"Where are they headed?" The question came from someone in the back Jyuushiro couldn't see.

"Vegas," Shunsui deadpanned.

"Miami. Though, it's not clear how sophisticated their navigation equipment is."

Shunsui gave Gin an incredulous look. "Navigational equipment? That way is north, I think is pretty--"

"Shunsui," Rangiku tried to cut him off.

"Ran, if one of these guys could throw a split fingered fastball, we'd send in the U.S.S Eisenhower."

"That's not entirely true."

"Oh, for God's sake. Forget about the journey. Okay? The voyage is not our problem," Toushiro broke into the conversation.

"What's our problem?" Rangiku snarked back at him.

"What to do when the Nina, the Pinta, and the Get-Me-The-Hell-Outta-Here hit Miami."

Jyuu attempted to take back control of the meeting. "Gin?"

"Can't send them back. They'll go to jail, if they're lucky."

Toushiro glanced at his deputy. "We'll get whacked in what? At least?"

"Three congressional districts. Dade County," came Gin's prompt reply.

"Those seats are gone."

"Not to mention the fact that it's wrong," Shunsui pointed out.

Gin nodded. "Plus that."

Shunsui tilted his head to the side. "What about Texas?"

"I wouldn't worry about it."

Jyuushiro nodded. "Keep Shunsui in the loop on this throughout the day."

"Me?" Gin asked.

"Yes."

"The thing is, my day is a little tight--"

"Deal with it," Toushiro commented.

"And I'm happy to. It's just that--"

"Gin."

"I'm just saying, isn't this more of a military area?"

Everyone stared at him. Gin just gave them an innocent look.

"Military?" Jyuushiro asked.

"Yes."

Toushiro snorted. "You think the United States is under attack from twelve hundred Cubans in rowboats?"

"I'm not saying I don't like our chances."

"Mind-boggling to me that we ever won an election." Toushiro shook his head.

"The governor wants to call up the Guard," Jyuushiro commented.

"He shouldn't." Shunsui leapt in.

"He's right," Gin disagreed.

Rangiku shook her head. "You send in the Guard, you create a panic situation."

"I agree with Shunsui. And I agree with Rangiku. And I agree with Gin. And you know how that makes me crazy," Toushiro said rolling his eyes. Then the communications director sighed. "They're running for their lives. You don't have to start a game of Red Rover with Castro. But you don't send in the National Guard. You send food, and you send doctors."

Shunsui nodded. "Gin, see that I.N.S. is working with the Red Cross and the Centers for Disease Control."

Gin gestured to the door. "I've got my guy from CDC on the phone right now."

"Go. Talk to him." Jyuushiro dismissed him.

"Got it."

Jyuu sighed. It was going to be a long day. "Moving on. Let's talk about Shunsui."


	13. Coffee Service

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Coffee Service**

Shunsui slumped at his desk. He had the lights out since that fit his mood. He watched the tape of last night's broadcast of Capitol Beat for about the thirteenth time. Normally he found these shows rather annoying, and they weren't his favorite duty. Of course, most of the time it was Gin or one of the other staffers who were on them. But last night they had sent him because it was typically harder to provoke him into saying something stupid. Only Tia Hallibel had known just what buttons to push in order to bring out his temper. He hit the play button and watched everything fall apart again.

"No. Well, I can tell you that you don't believe in any god I pray to, Mr. Kyoraku. Not any god I pray to."

"Lady, the god you pray to is too busy being indicted for tax fraud."

He rewound the tape again.

"No. Well, I can tell you that you don't believe in any god I pray to, Mr. Kyoraku. Not any god I pray to."

"Lady, the god you pray to is too busy being indicted for tax fraud."

He had really been an idiot, but he had been seething all ready. He hated it when people attacked Nanao. She didn't deserve it. She might not have graduated university, but without out her, Shunsui had no doubt that he wouldn't be able to do his job effectively. He rewound the tape again.

"No. Well, I can tell you that you don't believe in any god I pray to, Mr. Kyoraku. Not any god I pray to."

"Lady, the god you pray to is too busy being indicted--."

"You shouldn't have worn that tie on television. It bleeds," Nanao informed her from her spot in the doorway, interrupting his brooding.

Shunsui sighed. "I don't think it was the tie that got me in trouble."

Nanao shrugged looking down at the cup in her hands. "No, but I've told you a zillion times."

Shunsui also took in the mug in her hands with a sinking feeling. "What's that?"

"It's coffee." She attempted a bright smile.

He sighed again. "Thought so."

She fidgeted under his look. "I brought you some coffee."

Shunsui sighed again. "What's going on, Nanao?"

"Nothing's going on." His pretty assistant was lying through her teeth.

"Nanao."

"I brought you some coffee."

And that fact was almost scary. Shunsui met her eyes. "Close the door."

Nanao set the coffee down on his desk and shut the door. Once she had done that, Shunsui spoke again.

"Nanao Ise, when did you start working for me?"

She blinked. "During the campaign."

"And how long have you been my assistant?"

"A year and a half."

"And when was the last time you brought me a cup of coffee?" He paused a moment but didn't wait for her to answer. "It was never. You've never brought me a cup of coffee."

It had been a point of pride for her. She has always insisted that she was his assistant, not his secretary, and that fetching his coffee was not in her job description. The fact that Nanao had brought him coffee today just showed how worried she was for him. Shunsui thought it was sweet, but he would rather she not worry. There was nothing Nanao could do about the situation, and he didn't want her fretting over it.

"Well, if you're going to make a big deal out of it." There was his feisty Nanao again.

"Nanao. If I get fired, I get fired." He said it softly, and she would never find out from him that she was what had been used to provoke him into his rash statements. Nanao might do something stupid like resign if she knew. And she surprisingly low confidence when it came to her position. Oh, she was perfectly confident when it the two of them discussing the subject, but around other people, she tended to doubt herself. In part because of her lack of a college degree. Shunsui didn't think that could make her any more valuable to him than she already was.

"Do you think he's going to do it?" Her voice was soft and uncertain.

Shunsui paused before responding. "No."

At least he hoped not. It would be a stupid thing to get fired over. Hopefully, they could smooth this all over. A knock on the door interrupted them.

"It's Toushiro."

Nanao gave him a fierce look, ignoring Toushiro's interruption. "You won that election for him. You, and Jyuushiro, and Rangiku, and Gin."

Toushiro knocked louder. "Open the damn door."

Nanao's voice dropped to a whisper, clearly annoyed with the man on the other side of the door. "And him."

His assistant turned and let Toushiro into the office.

"Thanks for the coffee." It really was sweet of her to worry about him.

Nanao smiled on her way out to the bullpen. "You're welcome."

Toushiro looked at him incredulously. "Nanao brought you coffee?"

Her voice came drifting back to the office. "Shut up."

Shunsui smiled. That was his Nanao all right. If worst came to worst, he would just have to convince Jyuu to replace him with Nanao. In fact, if he did that, the office might actually get more work done. With a sigh, he met Toushiro's eyes. Time to deal with damage control.


	14. Facing the Music

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Facing the Music**

Shunsui sighed as Toushiro closed the door. He knew what was coming.

"What did I tell you before you went on the air yesterday?"

"You said, 'don't get cute with Tia Hallibel.'

Toushiro nodded. "I said, 'don't get cute with Tia Hallibel.' I said Zommari Leroux is not to be treated like some revival tent clown."

"Zommari Leroux wasn't there." He protested.

"He sure as hell was watching."

Shunsui sighed. He knew he had screwed up. Did everyone have to keep rubbing his nose in it? "Look, I already took Jyuu's morning beating. What do you want?"

"I want you to keep your job."

He blinked. "How?"

Toushiro frowned at him. "I'm going to make a suggestion which might help you out. But I don't want this gesture to be mistaken for an indication that I like you."

"I understand." Toushiro didn't like to show his softer side.

"In preparation for the Sunday morning radio address on family values--"

Shunsui cut him off. "When did that get on the schedule?"

"Listen to me for a second--"

"When did it get on the schedule?" Shunsui repeated.

"It's the regular Sunday morning--"

Shunsui knew better. "Yes, but when did we schedule family values?"

"We scheduled it, Shunsui, after your smug, taunting, you know, calamitous performance on Capitol Beat." Toushiro shot back. "America for better families, the AAF and Zommari Leroux. Tia Hallibel. I've invited them all for coffee this afternoon, along with a couple of speechwriters to talk about--"

"What they want to hear." Shunsui cut him off again.

"Yes. Yes, sir."

"If you listen carefully, you can hear two centuries of Presidents rolling over in their graves." Shunsui pointed out.

"Come to the meeting."

"No."

"Come to the meeting and be nice."

"Why?" He saw no reason to.

"So Rangiku can put it in the papers."

Shunsui met Toushiro's eyes. "Zommari Leroux is friends with bad people! I think he should say so for the common good. Screw politics! How about that?"

"You don't run social policy for this government. How about that?" Toushiro yelled.

"Toushiro!"

"I'm in charge of the message around here. It's my job to tell the President that the best thing he could do, from a PR standpoint, is to show you the door." He paused. "Come to the meeting. Be nice. Keep your job."

"She called Nanao a whore."

Toushiro met his eyes with sympathy. "I know."

"I'll be there," his voice was soft. He really didn't want do this.


	15. Every Time

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Every Time**

Jyuushiro sighed into the phone, trying to control his irritation. "Seventeen across. Yes. Seventeen across is wrong. You're spelling his name wrong. What's my name? My name doesn't matter. I'm just an ordinary citizen who relies on the Times crossword for stimulation. And I'm telling you, that I've met with the man twice, and I've recommended a preemptive Exocet Missile attack against his air force. So, I think I know how to--"

The dial tone hit his ears as Rangiku walked into his line of sight.

"Jyuushiro!"

He hung up the phone. "They hang up on me. Every time."

The press secretary raised an eyebrow at him. "That's almost hard to believe."

"What do you need?"

"Nightline wants someone for the East Asia--"

"Send Miyako. What else?"

"There might be a press leak on A3-C3."

"That was Rin. What else?

"Jyuu?"

He sighed. He knew what her next question was. He didn't have an answer. "Please don't ask me about Shunsui."

"I was going to ask--"

"I honestly don't know anything." He cut her off.

"You know the president."

"So do you." He pointed out.

"You know him better," Rangiku insisted.

Jyuushiro sighed again. "I've only known him three weeks longer than you have, Rangiku. And all I can promise you is that on any given day there's really no predicting what he's going to choose to care about."

"Yeah." It was her turn to sigh.

He caught sight of the time. He had a meeting that he had to be at. Jyuu shot Rangiku an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, I'm late."

Hopefully, this meeting would make a difference.


	16. Soothing Ruffled Feathers

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Soothing Ruffled Feathers**

Jyuushiro worked to keep his face calm and his voice soothing as he walked along the mall with Zommari Leroux. While he agreed with Shunsui's opinion of the man and his associates, Jyuu also knew that right now his good will might help Shunsui keep his job. So he would play nice.

"President's a deeply religious man, Reverend. I don't need to tell you that."

"No," Leroux agreed.

"He's worked with the Southern Baptist Leadership Conference. He's worked with the Catholic Relief--"

Leroux cut him off. "He's spoken at my church."

"Yes, he has," Jyuu agreed. "He doesn't believe that it's the government's place to legislate a number of the issues, but that has not stopped him from playing his role as a moral leader. Something which cost him dearly in the campaign and you know that."

"Why does he insist on demonizing us as a group?" Leroux asked.

"Because your group has plenty of demons."

The man snorted. "Every group has plenty of demons."

Jyuu went for humor. "You don't have to tell me about it, Reverend. I'm a member of the Democratic Party."

"Why does the White House suddenly talk like everyone in the Christian Right is the same?" The man's tone was plaintive.

"Forgive me, Zommari, but when you stand that close to Tia Hallibel and Nnoitra Jiruga, it's sometimes hard not to paint you all with the same brush."

"We need Nnoitra and Tia for political muscle," Leroux protested.

"I don't think you do, but I recognize you're in a tough spot."

"I'm not looking for a holy war, Jyuu."

"Oh, I know you're not, Zommari. And I think that you and I can keep this from escalating beyond the petulant woman being angry about getting her hair a little messed up on T.V."

"And there you go again." Zommari stopped walking.

"What?" Jyuushiro stopped as well and turned to face him.

"It was not a little deal."

"No one's saying--"

Zommari cut him off again. "And I want to make sure, of nothing else, I want to make sure that you're taking me seriously."

Jyuushiro gave him a look. "You don't think we're taking this seriously? Twenty-four hours ago, the President ordered me to fire Shunsui Kyoraku. I've been trying to talk him down from it ever since. He's getting off the plane in ten minutes. It's six to five at pickin' whether Shunsui still has a job. Now, I don't know how much more seriously we can take it."

"Well, that's regrettable."

"Yes, it is."

Especially since Shunsui had been provoked by Tia Hallibel in the first place. There were very few things that would actually set off Shunsui's temper, but Nanao was one of them. Especially allegations that belittled her and could quite possible cause a demand for her resignation. Urahara would better understand the situation when he found that out, but it wouldn't necessarily save Shunsui's job.

As they started walking again, Jyuu took a deep breath and spoke. "Anyway, I'm glad Toushiro organized your meeting this afternoon."

"So am I."

Jyuushiro only hoped that it would make a difference.


	17. Working With Two Year Olds

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Working With Two Year Olds **

Intellectually, Nanao knew that she worked with some of the most brilliant minds in politics. However, most of the time it was hard to tell that. Often it felt more like she was babysitting. She leveled a glare at her boss, holding out a new shirt and tie.

"No."

"Put it on."

"No." Shunsui even sounded like a toddler now.

"Put. It. On."

"No."

"You've been wearing the same clothes for thirty-one hours now, Shunsui."

"I am not getting spruced up for these people, Nanao."

She wasn't getting anywhere with this. It was time to appeal to his ego. "All the girls think you look really hot in this shirt."

Shunsui grabbed the shirt and tie out of her hands. Nanao left him in the office to change and headed for the bullpen.

"Hiyori!"

Toushiro's assisted popped out of one of the other offices. "Yeah?"

"Tell Toushiro he's changing his shirt."

She nodded. "Right."

Nanao sighed. As much as she loved her job, it really was like running a preschool at times.


	18. More Meetings

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**More Meetings**

Shunsui followed Rangiku, Gin, and Toushiro towards the mural room. Rangiku was busy reminding him of his manners. Shunsui wasn't entirely listening to her.

"She's going to try and bait you, Shun, you understand what I'm saying?" She paused. "Are you listening to me?"

He sighed. "They're going to try and bait me."

"They want you to say something arrogant."

"I don't need baiting for that," he pointed out.

Zommari Leroux, Tia Hallibel, and Nnoitra Jiruga were already waiting for them.

Toushiro smiled. "Hi. Good afternoon. We apologize. We're running a bit behind today."

Shunsui sat down quietly and watched as Rangiku and Toushiro greeted everyone. Leroux smiled.

"That's quite all right. How's the President's health?"

Rangiku smiled. "It's a mild sprain. He'll be fine."

"Good, good. You all know Tia Hallibel and Nnoitra Jiruga."

"Yes," Rangiku's voice was polite.

Toushiro gestured for everyone to be seated. "We're happy you all could come talk with us today. As you know, the President makes a usual Sunday morning radio address, and in a few weeks we've scheduled--"

Leroux interrupted him.

"Ah, Toushiro, if I may interrupt for just a moment. The goals and spirit of Christian and family oriented organizations, while embraced by a great and growing number of Americans, have been met with hostility and contempt by their government. Now, yesterday morning, on the television program Capital Beat, that contempt was given a voice…and a face…and a name." He looked Shunsui. "I'm referring, of course, to you, sir."

Shunsui nodded. "Yes, I know, and I'm glad you brought that up--"

Leroux cut him off before he could finish.

"I was surprised at you, Shunsui. I always counted you as a friend."

"And I'm honored by that, Reverend. First, let me say that when I spoke on the program yesterday, I was not speaking for the President or this administration. That's important to know. Second, please allow me to apologize. My remarks were glib and insulting. I was going for the cheap laugh, and anybody willing to step up and debate ideas deserves better than a political punch line." He met Hallibel's eyes. "Tia, I apologize."

She paused a moment before turning to Toushiro. "Good then. Let's deal."

Toushiro blinked. "I'm sorry?"

"What do we get?"

"For what?"

"For insulting millions of Americans."

"Well, like Shunsui said--"

She cut him off. "I heard what Shunsui said, Toushiro, what do we get?"

Toushiro's face was blank. "An apology."

Tia raised an eyebrow. "Sunday morning radio address. Public morals. School prayer or pornography, take your pick."

"School prayer or pornography?"

"It's on every street corner," Jiruga commented.

"I've seen it. Tia--"

She cut Toushiro off again. "Condoms in the schools."

"What?"

"Condoms in the schools," she repeated.

Toushiro frowned. "Well, that's a problem."

"What?" It was Tia's turn to ask.

Toushiro's voice had started to rise. "We have a Surgeon General who says they dramatically reduce the risk of teen pregnancy and AIDS."

"So does abstinence," Tia shot back.

"Show the average American teenage male a condom and his mind will turn to thoughts of lust," Jiruga added.

Toushiro snorted. "Show the average American teenage male a lug wrench and his mind will turn--"

"Toushiro," Rangiku cut him off.

"School prayer, pornography, condoms. What's it going to be?" Hallibel asked.

Toushiro frowned. "We're not prepared to make any sort of deal right now."

Things were clearly devolving here, so Shunsui jumped in. "Sure we are. Tia--"

She cut him off. "My read of the landscape is that you're cleaning out your desk before the end of business today, so I'd just as soon negotiate with Toushiro if it's all the same to you."

"Tia," Leroux's voice was almost scolding.

She turned to him. "Please allow me to work."

Then the woman glanced towards Shunsui. "It was only a matter of time with you, Shunsui."

Shunsui frowned, uncertain of what she was getting at, but he could tell that Toushiro was getting close to losing his cool, and that wouldn't be good at all. Tia was rubbing Toushiro the wrong way, and it wouldn't take much for this to get out of hand.

"There's been an apology. Let's move on," Leroux said.

Jiruga spoke up, clearly also wanting to change the subject. "I'd like to discuss why we hear so much talk about the first amendment coming out of this building, but no talk at all about the first commandment."

Jiruga continued, 'The first commandment says "Honor thy father'."

"No, it doesn't," Toushiro spoke up tearing his eyes away from the stare off he was in with Tia.

Shunsui could see where this was going and tried to cut his co-worker off.

"Toushiro--"

"It doesn't," the man argued.

Shunsui tried again. "Listen--"

"No, if I'm going to make you sit through this preposterous exercise, we're going to get the names of the damn commandments right."

Hallibel rolled her eyes. "Okay. Here we go."

"'Honor thy father' is the third commandment," Toushiro stated.

"Then what's the first commandment?" asked Jiruga.

"'I am the Lord your God. Thou shalt worship no other God before me.' Boy, those were the days, huh?"

Everyone turned to see President Urahara standing in the doorway with a pair of crutches and quickly rose to their feet.

Leroux smiled. "Good afternoon, Mr. President."

Urahara smiled. "Zommari. What do we got here, Rangiku?"

Rangiku shrugged. "Well, we've got some hot tempers, Mr. President."

"Tia." The president acknowledged the bristling woman.

Jiruga stepped forward. "Mr. President, I'm Nnoitra Jiruga."

"Yes," Urahara acknowledged him.

"May I ask you a question, sir?"

"Of course," Urahara replied.

"If our children can buy pornography on any street corner for five dollars, isn't that too high a price to pay for free speech?"

Urahara considered this for a moment. "No."

Jiruga looked startled. "Really?"

"On the other hand, I do think that five dollars is too high a price to pay for pornography."

Shunsui bit back a grin.

"Why don't we all sit down?" Rangiku suggested.

"No. Let's not, Rangiku. These people won't be staying that long. May I have some coffee, Mr. Yamada? Zommari, how many times have I asked you to denounce the practices of a fringe group that calls itself The Lambs of God?"

"Sir, it's not up to me to--" Zommari protested.

Urahara cut him off. "Crap. It is up to you, Zommari. You, know, my wife, Yoruichi, she never wants me to do anything while I'm upset."

Shunsui watched as Yamada handed the president a cup of coffee. Urahara kept talking.

"Thank you, Mr. Yamada. Twenty years ago, I come home from a very bad day at the State House. I tell Yoruichi I'm going out for a drive. I get in the station wagon, and put it in reverse, and pull out of the garage full speed. Except I forgot to open the garage door."

Jyuushiro and Gin had appeared in the doorway. Urahara sipped his coffee and smiled at Shunsui. Shunsui smiled back nervously. He still didn't know if he was going to keep his job. The president continued.

"Yoruichi told me to not drive while I was upset and she was right. She was right yesterday when she told me not to get on that damn bicycle while I was upset, but I did it anyway, and I guess I was just about as angry as I've ever been in my life. It seems my niece, Soi Fong, had given an interview in one of the teen magazines. And somewhere

between movie stars and make-up tips, she talked about her feelings on a woman's right to choose. Now Soi Fong, all of twelve, has always been precocious, but she's got a good head on her shoulders, and I like it when she uses it, so I couldn't understand it when her mother called me in tears yesterday. I asked, "What's wrong?" She said, "It's Soi Fong." Now I love my family, and I've read my bible from cover to cover so I want you to tell me, from what part of the Holy Scripture do you suppose the Lambs of God drew their divine inspiration when they sent my twelve year old niece a doll with a knife stuck through its throat?" Urahara paused and looked directly into Zommari Leroux's eyes. "You'll denounce these people, Zommari. You'll do it publicly. And until you do, you can all get your fat asses out of my White House."

The president nodded at his press secretary. "Rangiku, show these people out."

"I believe we can find the door," Hallibel said stiffly.

Urahara looked at her. "Find it now."

The group quickly beat a retreat without any more fuss.

As Leroux passed Jyuu, Shunsui could hear him say to the chief of staff. "We'll fix this, Jyuushiro."

Jyuushiro nodded. "See that you do."

Shunsui let out a deep breath. That had gone well.


	19. At the End of the Day

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**At the End of the Day**

Shunsui couldn't help feeling smug as they made their way to the Oval Office. "Okay, can I just say that, as it turned out, I was the calmest person in the room?"

"Hey--" Toushiro started to protest only to be cut off by Rangiku.

"Way to stay cool."

"I am not empowered to auction off the Bill of Rights."

Shunsui laughed. "I thought you were going to take a swing at her there. You, Ran, on the other hand, were brilliant. I particularly liked the part where you said nothing at all."

Urahara looked up from his desk at the group. "'Hello, Mr. President. Did you have a nice trip, sir? How's the ankle, sir?' Seems to me we've all been taking a little break. Thinking about our personal lives or thinking about keeping our jobs. Breaks are good. It's not a bad idea taking a break every now and then. I know how hard you all work."

Shunsui wasn't sure if the president was joking or not. With Urahara, it was often hard to tel. Kiyone slipped into the room and handed Jyuushiro a note. Shunsui noted with interest that Jyuu glanced at it briefly before handing it to Urahara. Urahara read the note, continuing to talk.

"There was this time that Soi Fong came to me with this press clipping. Seems these theologians down in South America were very excited because this little girl from Chile had sliced open a tomato, and the inside flesh of this tomato had actually formed a perfect Rosary. The theologians commented that they thought this was a very impressive girl. Soi Fong commented that she thought it was a very impressive tomato. I don't know what made me think of that." He smiled at them. "Naval Intelligence reports approximately twelve hundred Cubans left Havana this morning. Approximately seven hundred turned back due to severe weather, some three hundred fifty are missing and presumed dead, one hundred thirty-seven have been taken into custody in Miami and are seeking asylum. With the clothes on their backs, they came through a storm. And the ones that didn't die want a better life. And they want it here. Talk about impressive. My point is this: Break's over."

Jyuushiro smiled. "Thank you, Mr. President."

The others also said their thanks and made their exit. Shunsui hesitated in the doorway. Urahara looked at him.

"Shunsui. 'Too busy being indicted for tax fraud'?" the man paused. "Don't ever do it again."

Shunsui nodded. "Yes, sir."

As he made his way back to his own office, Shunsui could hear the president call out to his secretary.

"Ms. Tsumugiya. What's next?"


	20. Realizing Trouble

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Realizing Trouble**

Gin Ichimaru had a fondness for causing trouble. That was true enough. He found it kept life entertaining. Of course, working in the White House also did that will far less need to actually do anything himself. The thing was he liked trouble when he had some hand in it. He didn't like trouble when he opened up the newspaper to find that a republican senator was in a scandal that involved a high priced call girl. Normally this wouldn't bother him. Of course, normally the call girl in question wasn't the younger sister of one of his college buddies.

Normally, that in itself wouldn't be much of a problem. However, not only had he spent the night at this woman's house, but she had kind of been stalking him lately. Well, not really stalking him, so much as "accidentally" bumping into him almost everywhere he went in his free time. Not that Gin ever had much free time anymore, but there was the small possibility that there were pictures of them together. Again, normally this wouldn't be a problem. He'd tell Rangiku about, and if the press made any inquiries, she'd shut them down.

And therein lay the problem: he had to tell Ran about it. While he knew that the press secretary was supposed to be his first call if he did anything he even thought might cause trouble, he had never actually told her about that night when he got drunk and crashed with his buddies at that woman's house. Mostly because he knew exactly how Ran would react to that, and he preferred not to be on her bad side.

Their relationship was an odd one. Gin and Rangiku had known each from childhood, both having been street children together. Both of them had managed to get out, though in slightly different ways. They'd met again during their undergraduate years at university and had kept in touch ever since. Rangiku was in love with him, and Gin would admit that he was just as much in love with her. However, he had never let their relationship actually move beyond friendship. There were reasons for this and not wanting it to be public knowledge how much she meant to him. And while they were not romantically involved, Rangiku did have a certain amount of possessiveness when it came to him.

But none of that really gave Gin any clue of how he was going to broach this particular problem with Ran. Maybe if he just didn't say anything it would go away. He'd ask Shunsui of advice about it.


	21. Unbearable Day

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Unbearable Day**

Nanao Ise loved her job for a number of reasons. Unfortunately some of those reasons were also reasons to hate her job. It typically depended on what sort day it was. She had just made it through the door of the bullpen when Shunsui came bursting out of his office. She sighed. That meant he had probably slept here again. That man really did need a keeper at times.

"Victory is mine! Victory is mine! Great day in the morning, people. Victory is mine!"

She rolled her eyes. She would take this to mean they had enough votes for the bill that was in front of congress today. "Good morning, Shunsui."

"I drink from the keg of glory, Nanao. Bring me the finest muffins and bagels in all the land."

She sighed, slipping off her jacket. "It's going to be an unbearable day."

Nanao hung up her jacket as Shunsui started celebrating with the other staffers. It was going to be one of those days.


	22. Just Our Every Morning Meeting

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Just Our Every Morning Meeting**

The senior staff meeting every morning was one of those things that Rangiku couldn't decided it she loved or hated. Though today had the potential of making her hating it. She joined Toushiro as they headed for the meeting.

"I don't understand."

Rangiku sighed. "They refused."

"How did they refuse?"

She rolled her eyes. "They turned it down. They declined the invitation."

Toushiro shook his head. "How does someone decline an invitation for a photo-op with the President?"

"I'm saying this is the kind of luck we're having."

"Because of the joke?"

Rangiku nodded. "Because of the joke."

A staffer passed them in the hall and smiled. "Good morning."

"Good morning."

Rangiku raised an eyebrow. Toushiro was not known for his politeness in the morning. Or ever actually. "Who's that?"

"Who cares? We need somebody."

"You try getting his attention on this."

Ururu Tsumugiya was behind her desk in the outer Oval Office when they entered. Toushiro headed straight for her.

"Ms. Tsumugiya, does the President have free time this morning?"

The woman didn't bother to look up from her work. "The President has nothing but free time, Toushiro. Right now, he's in the residence eating Cheerios and enjoying Regis and Kathie Lee. Should I get him for you?"

"Sarcasm's a disturbing thing coming from a woman of your age, Ms. Tsumugiya."

"What age would that be, Toushiro?" Ururu unfortunately looked more like a junior high student than an experienced executive secretary; she did not take teasing about this well.

"Late twenties?" Toushiro offered.

"Atta boy."

He reached for the cookie jar on Ururu's desk. "Can I have a cookie?"

"No."

Gin strode into the room. He flashed her a smile but wouldn't met her eyes. Rangiku frowned. That was typically a sign that Gin had gotten himself in trouble again. Instead, Gin immediately turned his attention to his boss.

"Toushiro, they turned down our request?"

"Rangiku's on it."

"Good morning, Gin," Ururu smiled at him.

"Good morning."

"Have a cookie," she offered.

Gin helped himself; Ururu's cookies were arguably the best in the nation. "Thank you."

Toushiro pouted at Ururu. She just stared back at him.

"They're issuing a press release. We're going to be playing defense all day," Rangiku pointed out.

Gin spoke around the cookie in his mouth. "Is this really because of the joke?"

She sighed, "It's because of the joke."

Shunsui strode into the room while Nanao stayed in the doorway.

"Someone give me a river to forge, a serpent to slay."

Rangiku rolled her eyes and turned to Nanao. "What's his problem?"

The woman sighed. "He's been drinking from the keg of glory. We're to bring him all the muffins and bagels in the land."

It was Toushiro's turn to roll his eyes. "We heard."

"Good job." Gin grinned.

Shunsui beamed. "Thank you very much. Rangiku, they turned down the invitation?"

"They declined." How many times did she have to say it?

With the senior staff assembled, they headed on into the Oval Office.

"What does that mean?" Shunsui asked.

"It means they turned down the invitation."

"Because of the joke?"

Rangiku kept a tight reign on her temper. "Of course, because of the joke. Why does everyone keep asking? As if it could be something…"

Her voice trailed off as Urahara and Jyuushiro entered the Oval office, discussing the economy.

"…32 billion against the trade surplus," Jyuushiro finished.

"That's no good. Jaworski knows that's no good."

"Mostly, he's going to say that the Japanese need to buy more American cars."

"Americans need to buy more American cars," Urahara countered.

"Which is what I told Jaworski."

The president surveyed the gathered crowd, "Good morning everyone."

"Good morning," came the chorus.

"What do you got?"

"443's going to stay in committee," Shunsui smiled.

"I heard."

"What else?" Jyuushiro asked.

"The Ryder Cup team is declining our invitation to come to the White House," Rangiku told them.

Jyuushiro stared at her. "You're kidding."

She nodded. "Because of the joke."

Urahara glanced over at her. "You're kidding."

"I'm not."

Ururu slipped in to hand the president his schedule.

"The Ryder Cup team?" Urahara asked.

"It's a group of the best golfers in the country--"

He cut her off. "I know what the Ryder Cup team is. Thanks, Ms. Tsumugiya."

Rangiku couldn't let it go. "Sir, this may be a good time to talk about your sense of humor."

The president was looking down at his schedule. "I've got an intelligence briefing,

security briefing, and a ninety minute budget meeting all scheduled for the same forty-five minutes. You sure this is a good time to talk about my sense of humor?"

Rangiku sighed; it didn't seem like they were going to get this issue today. "No."

Urahara nodded. "Me neither."

Jyuushiro cleared his throat. "What else?"

Rangiku bit her lip then sighed. She couldn't help it. She needed to get this addressed. "It's just that it's not the first time it's happened."

"I know." The president didn't seem to be paying that much attention to her.

Toushiro spoke up. "She's talking about Texas, sir."

"I know."

Rangiku continued. "U.S.A. Today asks you why you don't spend more time campaigning in Texas and you say it's 'cause you don't look good in funny hats'."

"It was 'big hats'" Gin corrected her.

She glared at him. "What difference does it make?"

"It makes a difference." Urahara gave her a look.

Rangiku forged on. "The point is we got whomped in Texas."

"We got whomped in Texas twice," Shunsui added.

"We got whomped in the primary, and we got whomped in November," Rangiku said.

"I think I was there," Urahara said dryly.

"And it was avoidable, sir," she pressed her point.

"Rangiku, on your tombstone, it's going to read, 'Post hoc, ergo propter hoc.'" The president told her.

Rangiku shrugged. "Okay, but none of my visitors are going to be able to understand my tombstone."

"Twenty-seven lawyers in the room, anybody know 'post hoc, ergo propter hoc?'" Urahara asked. "Shunsui?"

Shunsui made a face. "Uh, post, after…after hoc ergo therefore…after hoc, therefore, something else hoc?"

The president just shook his head. "Thank you. Next?"

"Uh, if I'd gotten more credit on the 443--"

"Jyuushiro?" Urahara cut him off.

The chief of staff smiled. "After it, therefore because of it."

Shunsui shook his head at his best friend. Rangiku swore she also heard him mutter something about showing off.

Urahara smiled. "After it, therefore because of it. It means one thing follows the other, therefore it was caused by the other, but it's not always true. In fact, it's hardly ever true. We did not lose Texas because of the hat joke. Do you know when we lost Texas?"

"When you learned to speak Latin?" Rangiku offered.

Urahara shrugged. "Go figure."

Jyuushiro sighed. "What else?"

Rangiku bit back a smile at his exasperated expression. Just another morning with the senior staff. It was a really good thing that most of the country didn't know how it was being run.


	23. The Right Fit

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**The Right Fit**

Kisuke Urahara was not an easy man to serve at times. Not that Jyuushiro was going to complain too much about it. He would rather have Urahara in office than just about anyone else. As he headed out of the Oval Office with Shunsui and Gin, he checked on the status on one of the next speeches coming up.

"Gin, when are you writing the Hilton Head draft?"

"I'm closing my door from noon to three."

"Let me see it at three," Shunsui said.

"Sure."

Jyuushiro caught sight of Kaien Shiba, the young man who was currently acting as the president's physician, waiting in the outer Oval Office. Seeing a chance to deal with a current issue, Jyuu headed towards the man.

"Shiba."

"Good morning," he smiled.

"I'll be just a second," Jyuushiro told the aide hovering nearby. Then he turned to Shiba. "Take a walk with me, will you?"

"Sure."

The two of the headed out into the hallway.

"You look well."

Shiba's smiled widened. "Well, I'm feeling pretty good."

"How's the baby?"

"Ten days old today." It was surprising that the man hadn't burst with pride.

"You got a picture?" Jyuu asked; he'd been hearing about this little baby for nearly a week now.

"Well, I don't know... Let me see..." Shiba fished out his wallet and produced a picture. "Well, what do you know?"

Jyuu smiled as he took in the picture of mother and baby in a rocking chair. "Oh, she's a knockout."

"Both of them."

"I'm sorry. I've forgotten your wife's name."

"Miyako."

"And your little girl?"

"Aiko."

Kiyone interrupted them.

"Mr. Ukitake, did you tell the council's office that they would be in on the ten o'clock?"

"I may have," he admitted.

She sighed. "That's really something that you want to tell me."

Jyuushiro handed her the picture. "Here. It's a baby and a new mother. Look at that for a minute."

"Oh!" Her eyes went wide and a smile lit up her face. Satisfied that his secretary was distracted for the moment, Jyuu continued.

"Listen. I know you were just supposed to be filling in till Seinosuke Yamada came back, but the President likes you, and he'd like to keep you on if you don't have any objections."

"I don't have any objections."

Jyuushiro smiled. "Good."

"But I'll have to be covered next week. I'm leaving the country in a few hours."

This was news to Jyuu. "Where are you going?"

"Jordan."

"For how long?"

"For just a week."

They could live with that. "Then you'll start the week after."

"Jyuushiro?"

"Yeah?"

Kaien looked a little uncomfortable. "I'm comparatively low-ranked."

Jyuushiro knew very well that Urahara didn't care about rank. "He likes you, Shiba. He feels better after he's talked to you. I think there have been days when you've lightened the load a little."

"It's not a big deal. I'm just--"

Jyuu cut him off. "He likes you, Shiba. I got to get back in the Oval." He turned to Kiyone. "Give him his picture."

Kiyone handed Shiba his picture and the two of them headed back to the Oval Office. Jyuu couldn't keep the grin off his face. At least he could cross one thing off his to do list today. Now he just had another three hundred things to accomplish.


	24. Seeking Advice

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Seeking Advice**

While most people might find it hard to believe that Shunsui Kyoraku could give good advice when it came to women, Gin knew better. While Shunsui flirted with just about everyone, he did have very good insight when it came to others and their relationships. It was just his own love life that he couldn't seem to manage. That was why when Shunsui left his office to get coffee, Gin followed him.

"Did you need me?" Shunsui looked up from doctoring his coffee.

"I'm sorry?"

Shunsui gave him a look. "Didn't you come to see me?"

"I was just stretching my legs."

"Oh."

Gin followed him back into his office.

"I'm supposed to be working on the Hilton Head draft right now, and I am, but I'm just stretching my legs."

"Okay." Shunsui sat down and waited.

Gin sighed. "Last week, I was out for drinks with some guys from college, and I ended up crashing at one of their sisters' place, and she came on to me the next morning, but I turned her down, and she didn't get the picture, and she's sort of been stalking me, and yesterday I discovered she is a call girl. The one in the scandal with the senator."

Shunsui looked like he was having trouble swallowing the coffee.

"Gin?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you want to maybe close the door?"

"Yeah." Gin closed the door.

Shunsui gave him a look. "You are involved with this woman?"

Gin shrugged. "Well no, I…well, yes. Sort of. I kind of was hoping she'd just go away.

I haven't done anything to encourage her, but I didn't want to make a big deal of it."

"Did she know who you are?"

"No, I didn't reveal my secret identity, Shunsui."

Shunsui glared at him. "I'm asking some questions here."

Gin sighed. "Yes. She knows I work for the President."

Shunsui sighed. "And you've never mentioned this to Rangiku because you hoped it would just go away."

Gin nodded. Shunsui sighed again. There was a knock on the door, and Nanao popped her head into the office.

"Yes?" Shunsui asked.

"You're with the Energy Secretary in five minutes."

"Thanks."

She considered the two men. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Shunsui replied.

"Really?"

"Yes."

Her eyes narrowed. "You're lying?"

Shunsui nodded. "Yes."

"So I should get out?"

"Yes."

She shut the door. Shunsui focused back on Gin.

"Look, Rangiku's going to be pissed whenever she finds out. Telling her earlier might be a good idea. You know how she gets when the press blindsides her with something."

"If she finds out." Gin really hoped that she never did. This could all just go away. There was only the possibility that someone knew that he had a minor associate with that woman, not a certainty.

"Whatever. You're playing with fire here. Just talk to Toushiro before you do anything."

"Toushiro?"

"Yes," Shunsui was firm.

"There's no way that I can do this without talking to Toushiro?" The man was practically Rangiku's brother, and he wasn't going to be sympathetic, even if he'd dealt with a pissed off Rangiku before.

"No." Shunsui rose from his desk and headed for the door. Rangiku passed by the office, and Shunsui tried to grab her attention. "Hang on there, Ran!"

He turned back to Gin. "Just talk to Toushiro. Just Toushiro."

"All right."

Nanao pressed a file into Shunsui's hands as he ran to catch up with Rangiku. Gin sighed. He did not think this was going to end well. Hopefully, his death at Rangiku's hands wasn't in the cards.


	25. Checkups

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Checkups**

Kisuke leaned back against while Kaien finished taking his blood pressure.

"So, what's in Jordan?" he asked.

"Amman," came the reply.

"You should stay here. We got a man, a woman, little kids, the works."

"131 over 84."

"See, that was a joke," Kisuke pointed out.

"Good one."

Kisuke sighed. "Everybody's a critic today."

"Hold still," Kaien told him as he tucked a thermometer under Urahara's arm.

"So what's in Amman?" He went back to his original question.

"A teaching hospital."

"Good for you. How long are you going to stay?" Kisuke smiled,

"A week."

"When do you leave?"

"Two hours." Kaien checked the thermometer.

"What's my temperature?"

"56 degrees." Kaien's face was perfectly straight.

"Fahrenheit?"

"Yeah. Is that not normal?" the doctor asked innocently.

Kisuke just chuckled. "So how's the kid?"

"Ten days old today."

"Got any pictures?"

Kaien immediately produced a photo and handed it to him. "Thought you'd never ask."

One of the various assistants popped into the room. "Sir, they just touched down at Andrews."

"Thank you, Isane." He glanced down at the picture. "Oh, she's beautiful. What's her name?"

"Miyako's my wife. Aiko's our daughter. It's my grandmother's name. She was the first woman in our family to get a doctorate. The family's pretty proud of our past."

Kisuke grinned. "Your wife's beautiful too. How'd you get her to marry you? Did you trick her or something?"

"Hypnosis," came Kaien's prompt reply.

"Yeah, I figured." One of the things that Kisuke liked best about this young man was his sense of humor. "Kaien, I made a joke about golfers yesterday, and now it consumes the whole damn building."

"Open your mouth, sir," the doctor requested.

"Jokes like that are part of my folksy charm, Kaien. It's the very heart of my popularity."

"Don't you have a job approval rating of like three percent or something?" Kaien asked.

"Oh, we're having some difficulty getting the word out.

Orihime entered the office to hand Kisuke a file.

"Oh, thank you. Is this from this morning, Orihime?

"Yes, sir." She flitted out of the office.

Kisuke sighed. "So how's my pulse?"

"Have you been running up and down the stairs at the Rose Bowl in the past few minutes?"

"No."

"Then it's not that good. Cut back on red meat?"

"Yes."

"Dairy?"

"Yes."

"How about booze?"

Kisuke grinned. "Yeah, why not? Two Dewar's on the rocks, Ms. Tsumugiya."

Kaien shook his head, smiling. "Mr. President…"

"I had a meeting this morning with the Joint Chiefs." Kisuke sighed. "I'm an accomplished man, Kaien. I can sit comfortably with prime ministers and Presidents, even the pope. Why is it every time I sit with the Joint Chiefs, I feel like I'm back at my father's dinner table?"

Kaien shifted uncomfortably. "I'm a naval officer, sir…"

"You're a naval officer. You're a doctor in a uniform." H e sighed again. "It's not like I'm totally without experience, you know."

"Yes, sir."

"You're talking to a former governor. I was commander-in-chief of the New Hampshire National Guard."

"You guys got into a lot of tough scrapes, did you?" Kaien asked.

"Didn't have to. We'd just stand on the border and stare you down. Then we'd all go for pancakes. Like you had a lot of closed infantry combat training in pre-med, huh?"

"Hold still just a second," the doctor requested pulling out a needle.

"What is that?" He was not fond of needles.

"It's a flu shot."

"I don't need a flu shot."

"You do need a flu shot."

"How do I know this isn't the start of a military coup?"

"Sir?" Kaien raised an eyebrow at him.

"I want the Secret Service in here right away," Kisuke teased.

"In the event of a military coup, sir, what makes you think the Secret Service is going to be on your side?"

Urahara blinked. "Now that's a thought that's going to fester."

"Hold still."

Kaien gave him the shot. Kisuke made a face.

"Thank you. I'm not comfortable with violence." He paused before continuing. "I know this country has enemies, but I don't feel violent toward any of them. I don't know whether that's a weakness or not, but I think I know how the Joint Chiefs would answer that question."

Kaien regarded him seriously. "Let the chiefs get to know you, Mr. President. They're serious men, naturally suspicious of your leadership. That's what comes from spending a lifetime caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. They're men of character. They may not like your resume, but they'll like you personally if you give it time."

He paused a moment before continued. "You have a once in a generation mind, sir. Ultimately, they'll respect that. They'll advise you well and go where you point. Let the chiefs get to know you, sir. In the meantime, you outrank them. So don't worry about it so much, and cut back on the dairy."

"And the red meat." Urahara had heard this before

"And the scotch," Kaien finished.

"Don't forget your picture. Aiko's a beautiful child." Kisuke smiled as he gave the man his picture back.

Kaien smiled fondly at the picture. "Yeah, I know. Look what I'd done."

Kisuke snorted. "You didn't do nothing, mister. You were a passenger on this one. Your job is to pay the bills, and do what these ladies tell you to do."

"Yes, sir."

"Also, you've got to teach her how to whistle. Her mother won't do that," Kisuke added.

"Right." He was smiling.

"I'll see you next week, Kaien."

"In two weeks," he corrected.

Kisuke nodded. "Right. Kaien?"

He stopped by the door. "Yes, sir?"

"Look at that picture again. See? The past isn't the only thing your family can be proud of."

"Yes, sir."

"Go away," Kisuke ordered with a smile. He was going to enjoy having Kaien around on a permanent basis.


	26. More Advice

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**More Advice**

Gin strode from his office with a smile. "I'm done."

Mashiro, his assistant, looked at him skeptically. "You're sure?"

"Yep."

"You're done polishing?"

"Yes."

"You're done tweaking?

"I'm done tweaking. I'm done polishing. Done. Take it to Rangiku."

She turned to take the speech away.

"Wait." Gin took one last look at it then nodded. "Yes, I'm done. Really."

Mashiro headed towards Rangiku's office with the speech. Toushiro's office door opened, spewing out two of the junior communications staff. Toushiro was giving final instructions.

"Wait and hope that the statement comes out of the U.N. by the end of the week."

The one man nodded. "It's the least we can do."

"No, actually the U.N. is already doing the least they can do," Toushiro corrected

"Right." The man shot Gin a smile. "Hey, Gin, what's up?"

"Just stretching my legs."

Toushiro glanced his direction. "Hey."

"Hey."

"How's it going?" he asked.

"I'm finished."

Toushiro raised an eyebrow. "You're talking about the Hilton head draft?"

Gin nodded. "I used pretty tough language: 'political cover,' 'counterproductive.'"

"Good."

"Now, I'm just stretching my legs."

"Good."

He followed Toushiro into his office. "Can I talk to you a second?"

"Yeah."

"I'll shut the door."

"Okay." Toushiro had started to look wary.

Gin shut the door before sitting down on Toushiro's couch. "Yesterday, I discovered that I'm sort of accidentally being stalked by a prostitute."

Toushiro gave him an incredulous look. "Really?"

"Yes."

"You're accidentally being stalked by a prostitute?"

"Call girl," Gin corrected.

"Accidentally?"

"Yes."

"I don't understand. Did you trip over something?" Toushiro sounded like he thought Gin might be an idiot.

"I didn't know she was a call girl. She's the younger sister of one of the guys I knew in university. I didn't find out about it, till yesterday."

"Who else knows about this?" Toushiro demanded.

"Shunsui."

"And who else?"

"That's it."

Toushiro immediately saw the problem. "And you didn't mention anything to Rangiku? At all?"

Gin sighed. "I thought the problem might go away. It's not like other staffers haven't picked up the odd fan turned stalker or two. They typically go away after they realize how boring our lives are."

"Other people don't have prostitutes as stalkers."

"Call girl."

"Whatever. Rangiku is going to kill you."

Shunsui chose that moment to walk into the office.

"Let's go."

Gin raised an eyebrow. "He's free?"

They had been trying to find a spot in Jyuushiro's schedule to fit a quick meeting in.

"Yes."

The three of them made their way through the halls towards Jyuushiro's office.

"Did you know about this?" Toushiro asked Shunsui.

"Know about what?" Shunsui asked.

Toushiro gestured at Gin. "With him."

"Yes."

"And you're not concerned?"

Shunsui shrugged. "If we're lucky, it will be a busy news week, and the problem will go away, and no one will ask Rangiku a question about it. If not, the news cycle will be focused on the fact that the press secretary murdered the deputy communications director."

"I was going to say--"

"This administration doesn't even need an opposition party, do you know that, we do fine by ourselves," Toushiro grumbled, cutting him off.

"Gin, just don't do anything stupid okay?" Shunsui instructed.

"Yeah." Gin wasn't sure there were more stupid things left for him to do. If Rangiku ever found out about this, she really was going to kill him. At least it would be an interesting way to go.


	27. Hard Work

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Hard Work**

There were some parts of his job that Jyuu really hated. This one of them. He shared a look with Shunsui as they went over the information with the military officers.

"So they'll be in position in two hours?" Shunsui asked.

The naval officer nodded. "And they'd be booked up by a second carrier group plus the F-14s off the George Washington and the Carlston."

"How long before an estimated B.D.A.?" was Jyuu's question.

"Ten minutes."

Ikkaku Madarame, the secret service agent in charge of the night shift, appeared in the doorway. "The President's waiting."

Jyuushiro nodded. "Excuse me, gentlemen."

"Jyuu, do you need me?" Shunsui gave him a sympathetic look.

He shook his head. "No."

With a soft sigh, Jyuushiro headed into the Oval Office. Urahara was there, leaning against the desk in jeans and a sweat shirt. Jyuushiro took a deep breath and walked towards him. His news was bad.

"Mr. President, Kaien Shiba is dead." He watched the man pale and flinch. Jyuushiro continued, wanting to get this all over with. "An air force transport carrying Morris, twelve hundred other doctors, forty-two support staff, and a crew of five to a teaching hospital in Amman exploded in midair about one hundred fifty miles north of Tartus. What was first thought to be a mechanical failure was then claimed by a fundamentalist group after a keyhole satellite sent back a record of a heat stream coming from what's called an F.I.M. 92, which is a shoulder-mounted surface-to-air missile launcher. In the last ninety minutes or so that's been debunked as well. Hard intelligence is telling us the order came from the Syrian defense ministry. Tessai and Hachigen are on their way from the Pentagon, and Kensei's in the Situation Room preparing for your briefing."

Jyuushiro watched as Urahara composed himself before speaking.

"What time is it?"

"It's 10:38 in Damascus," Jyuu informed him.

"Where is the Syrian ambassador?"

"He's at his residence on a secure phone line." He and Shunsui had gotten everything set up before Jyuu had come in here.

"Tel Aviv and London?"

"State's waiting for your word."

"Alright." Urahara sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm going to call Kaien's wife now. I'll meet you in the Situation Room."

Jyuu nodded and turned to go. "Yes, sir."

"Jyuushiro?"

Jyuu turned around and looked at him. Urahara met his eyes.

"I am not frightened. I'm going to blow them off the face of the earth with the

fury of God's own thunder." Urahara paused a moment. "Get the commanders."

Jyuushiro bit his lip as he left the room. This was not going to be good. They had some long days ahead.


	28. A Growing Storm

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**A Growing Storm**

Jyuushiro tried not to show his worry as he and the president headed towards the Oval Office.

"This is crap. It's been three days. This is amateur hour."

He tried to sooth the man some. "Tessai and Hachigen have to revise the response scenario, so that they speak to State--"

Urahara cut him off. "Tessai and Hachigen are dragging their feet. Tessai and Hachigen are trying to make me look like a clown. And State should concern itself with what I damn well tell them to be concerned with!"

"It doesn't work like that," Jyuushiro replied.

"So I've discovered."

"Good morning, Mr. President," one of the aides greeted him as the entered the Oval Office.

"Good morning."

"Moreover you know that's not the way it works. The Chiefs are working as swiftly as they can," Jyuushiro continued, "even though, frankly, time isn't a factor."

Ms. Tsumugiya was waiting for them and handed Urahara a piece of paper. "Good morning, Mr. President."

"Good morning."

Jyuu almost had the feeling that he was being ignored. "And not to pile on, but Tessai and Hachigen have a point with respect to the Security Council."

Urahara had moved back behind his desk. "Uh, Ms. Tsumugiya, I can't seem to find my glasses anywhere. Can you please do whatever it is you do when I can't find my glasses?"

"Certainly, sir."

The woman was out of the room before Urahara went off again.

"It's been seventy-two hours, Jyuushiro. That's more than three days since they blew him out of the sky. And I'm tired of waiting damn it! This is candy ass! We are going to draw up a response scenario today. I'm going to give the order today. We're going to strike back today."

This was one of the times, Jyuu hated his job, but somebody needed to do it.

"I wish you wouldn't say 'him', Mr. President."

Urahara looked startled. "What?"

"'Three days since they blew him out of the sky,'" Jyuu quoted. "Of course, that's fine while it's just you and me, sir, but in there with Kensei and the Chiefs, I hope you say 'it' or 'the airplane' not 'him'."

"You think I'm taking this personally," Urahara accused.

"I think--"

Urahara cut him off. "Why the hell shouldn't I take this personally?"

Now just how to approach this? Jyuushiro could only do his best.

"I think the fact that Shiba was on the plane--"

"Americans were on that plane," Urahara insisted.

"Mr. President--"

Urahara hadn't finished speaking. "I met Kaien four or five times. Let's not do this like he was my son."

"Yes, sir."

"Ms. Tsumugiya!" Urahara yelled.

"Mr. President, I still think we need to talk about," Jyuu started, but he trailed off when the president's secretary entered the room.

"I can't fine my glasses anywhere."

"Yes, sir, we're on it," the woman assured him.

"Thank you."

"The director is waiting," she reminded him of his next appointment.

Urahara frowned at his watch.

"Uh, yeah, let's have him." Once she had left, he turned back to Jyuushiro. "What did you want to say?"

"Nothing." It wasn't true, but Jyuu needed more time than Urahara had right now to deal with it.

"You sure?"

"Yes." Jyuu nodded. "I've got staff."

"All right, I'll see you in an hour."

"Thank you, sir."

As Jyuushiro headed to his own office, he couldn't help noticing Urahara squinting at the file in his hands, trying to read it. He really hoped they found the man's reading glasses soon. They didn't need anything else contributing to the man's bad mood today.


	29. How to Start the Day

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**How to Start the Day**

Shunsui really wasn't a fan of mornings for a number of reasons. Still, so far today wasn't too bad. Nanao met him as he entered the bull pen.

"Rangiku's looking for you."

Shunsui blinked. "Huh?"

"Rangiku's looking for you," she repeated.

"Nanao?"

"Yes?"

"'Good morning, Shunsui.' is a pretty good way to start the day."

His assistant smiled. "Good morning."

That was better. Shunsui smiled back. "What's up?"

"Rangiku's looking for you."

He shrugged. "Tell her I'm in the office."

Nanao gave him a pointed look. "Shunsui, I'm saying Rangiku is _looking_ for you."

Shunsui stopped dead in his tracks.

"What did I do?"

Nanao shrugged. "How would I know?"

"Cause you know everything." It was kind of uncanny at times.

"I do know everything." Nanao smiled.

"Nanao--"

She cut him off. "I'm saying you say that now, but every time I want to make a substantive contribution--"

It was his turn to cut her off. "You make plenty of substantive contributions."

"Like what?"

"This! This could be a substantive contribution." Anything that saved him from Rangiku's wrath would be.

"I need a raise." She changed the subject.

"So do I!" This was not helpful.

"You're my boss."

"But I'm not the one who pays you." They had started walking again.

"Yes, but you could recommend that I get a raise."

"Nanao, she's looking for me. Do you really think this is the best time to talk about a raise?"

Nanao smiled. "Hmmm…I think this is the best time to talk about a raise."

Shunsui frowned at her. "Nanao, you're not a very nice person."

She shrugged. "You got to get to know me."

"Nanao," he whined.

His assistant sighed. "The best I can cobble together from the small shards of information I've been able to overhear in the restroom and the Danish cart--"

He didn't have time for this. "Nanao."

"Is it possible that there's a situation involving Gin, a woman, and Rangiku being denied information about something?" Nanao asked exasperated.

Shunsui paled. Gin was a dead man, and he was probably one too. He should have known that this was going to end badly. He took a deep breath.

"Ok. Here's what I'm going to do."

"Hide in your office?" Nanao offered.

He shook his head. "No. I'm not going to hide in my office. I'm going to go into my office and devise a strategy. That is what I do. I'm a professional. I'm not a little boy."

Nanao sat down at her desk. "That's the spirit."

Shunsui headed for his office. "But if she calls, I'm at the dentist. I'll be back in an hour."

"Got it."

Shunsui walked into his office. Rangiku looked up from the newspaper she was reading. He jumped.

Rangiku smiled at him nastily. "Wow, are you stupid!"

She folded up the paper. Shunsui held up his hands in defense.

"You can't be mad at me about this, Rangiku."

"Really? Let's see if I can. Let's see if I can find it in me."

Nanao entered the office. "Wait, she was here?"

"Could you excuse us, Nanao?"

His assistant nodded. "How did I miss that?"

"I don't know, but you can kiss that raise goodbye." He had a feeling that he had been set up here. Probably Nanao's revenge for keeping her out of the loop on this.

"Senior staff in five minutes," she reminded him.

"Thanks."

Shunsui shut the door behind her and braced for the storm.

"A call girl?"

"Here's the thing--" he started.

Rangiku cut him off. "A call girl, Shunsui?"

He tried to lighten the mood. "You're not asking me if I'd like a call girl right now are you?"

"Do you have any idea how serious this is?"

"See, the thing is, I really don't think it is that serious." Except when it came to Gin and Rangiku's personal relationship, and no one with any sense tried to interfere with or understand that.

"Really?"

Shunsui sighed and tried logic with her. "A couple of things for you to bear in mind: he didn't know she was a call girl when he crashed at her place with his friends and she started stalking him. He didn't pay her money. He didn't have knowledge of, witness, or participate in anything illegal. Or for that matter, unethical, immoral, or suspect."

Rangiku snarled at him. "A couple of things for you to bear in mind: none of that matters on hard copy!"

"You're overreacting." Not that Shunsui blamed her. But he was the wrong person to overreacting at.

"Am I?" Her smooth tone was dangerous, and she was moving closer to him.

Shunsui stood his ground. "Yes."

"As women are prone to do?"

He knew better than to answer that question. "That's not what I mean."

"That's always what you mean." She was now nose to nose with him.

"I really think I'm the best judge of what I mean, you paranoid Berkeley shiksta feminista!" Shunsui found himself more than a little defensive; he hadn't expected that to come out of his mouth. "Whoa. That was way too far."

Rangiku had not moved. She smiled at him. "No, no. Well, I've got a staff meeting to go to and so do you, you elitist, Harvard fascist missed-the-dean's-list-two-semesters-in-a-row Yankee jackass!"

Shunsui blinked. He hoped that venting that helped her mood some. Otherwise it was going to be a long day. "Feel better getting that off your chest there, Ran?"

"I'm a whole new woman." She opened the door and stalked out, heading for the Oval Office for senior staff.

Shunsui trailed after her. "You look like a million bucks by the way."

"Don't try to make up with me."

"I'll talk to Gin." He offered; the man deserved some sort of warning even if he did deserve what was coming.

"I'll talk to Gin."

Shunsui hoped that Nanao had funeral plans somewhere on file. Knowing his assistant as he did, she probably did have something. As the passed one of the lobbies, Shunsui caught sight of Toushiro and waved him over.

"Toushiro." Thank goodness, now he wasn't the only target.

"Hey."

"How was last night?" Things had been a little tense lately.

Toushiro sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "The longest dinner of my life. The President was up from the table every five minutes teeing off on Kensei and Hachigen. He's barking at the Secretary of State, he's scaring the hell out of Tessai, which I didn't think was possible. He's snapping at the First Lady. He's talking about blowing up half of North Africa."

"He's snapping at Yoruichi?" Rangiku sounded incredulous.

"Rangiku, this might be a good time to tell the President about Gin and the call girl."

Toushiro's eyes went wide. "She knows?"

Rangiku turned her smile on him. "Yes, I'm afraid I have that information now, and I'll be in to see you very shortly, my friend."

"How the hell did I get into trouble?" Toushiro wanted to know.

"Today, all you had to do was get out of bed," Shunsui replied. It was definitely going to be a long day.


	30. Not the Best of Days

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Not the Best of Days**

Jyuushiro entered the office to find the Gin, Rangiku, Shunsui, and Toushiro along with some of the assistants clustered around the table with the platter of pastries.

"Good morning."

Shunsui looked up. "Hey."

Rangiku flashed him a tight smile. "Hey, Jyuushiro."

"How's his mood?" Shunsui asked around the Danish he was eating.

Jyuu raised an eyebrow. "How's his mood?"

"Yeah."

He just shook his head. "Don't worry about it."

"Toushiro said he's snapping--" Rangiku started.

Jyuu cut her off. "And I said don't worry about it."

Gin flopped down on the couch.

"Hey, Gin, what do you know?" Jyuushiro asked.

Gin just grinned. "It's true."

Jyuushiro just stared at him. "You're kidding me."

"I've got the transcript from the broadcast."

"What broadcast?" Toushiro asked.

It was Jyuu's turn to grin. "Listen to this."

Gin held up a piece of paper. "Congressman Sajin Komamura appeared on a radio program in his home district."

"Right." Shunsui nodded.

"The fifth," Jyuu prompted.

Shunsui nodded again. "Yes."

"East Chester County part of Lofton," Gin added.

"Who we just recommended cuts in funding for the M6 Beacon," Jyuushiro threw in.

"What'd he say?" Toushiro demanded.

Gin's smile grew. "He was on the broadcast along with several officers from Cromwell Air Force Base when he said, regarding the President being weak on defense: "Folks down here are patriotic, fiercely patriotic. The President better not be planning on making any visits to this base. If he does, he may not get out alive."

Toushiro looked incredulous. "He said that?"

Jyuu gave him a look. "You believe it?"

"Sitting with military officers." Toushiro was close to foaming at the mouth.

"Don't take the bait," Shunsui advised.

"Shunsui." Toushiro glared at him.

Shunsui shrugged. "Don't take the bait."

"You better believe I'm going to take the bait."

Shunsui sighed. "Toushiro."

"There ought to be a law against it," Jyuushiro said.

"There is a law against it," Toushiro started.

Shunsui just rolled his eyes at Jyuushiro. "Why'd you get him started?"

Jyuu just shrugged.

"How about threatening the life of the President? He was talking to other people, how about conspiracy? Those were military officers, how about treason?" Toushiro's voice has been rising throughout his rant.

"Toushiro," Shunsui tried to calm him down.

"That was a member of our own party, Jyuu." Toushiro pounded on the tabled. "That was a Democrat who said that!"

"It's bad, I know," Jyuu admitted.

"That's it?" Toushiro demanded.

Jyuushiro shrugged. "Well, what are you going to do?"

"Have the Justice Department bring him in for questioning pending felony charges," Toushiro suggested.

"Toushiro's right. What's the good of being in power if you're not going to haul your enemies in for questioning?" Shunsui joked.

Gin laughed while Rangiku kicked Shunsui in the butt.

"We're really not going to do anything about this?" Toushiro wanted to know.

Jyuu just shook his head. "Yeah, Toushiro, because what we really need to do is arrest people for being mean to the President."

"There is no law. There is no decency." Toushiro stated.

"He's just getting that now?" Shunsui asked.

Jyuu felt it was time to move the meeting along. "In the event an attack order is given today, we'll need a half hour on the networks. Uh, when do they need to be told?"

"Ninety minutes," Rangiku promptly replied.

"Wait till the last minute." Jyuu instructed her. "Toushiro, start working on a draft for the President."

"I need to know what we're hitting," Toushiro said.

Jyuu snorted. "Yeah, you and me both."

"Jyuushiro."

"It's military, Toushiro. You'll know when you know."

"Gin, work with the coordinating State department guy," Toushiro instructed his deputy.

"Asano," Gin filled in the name.

"And whoever the spokesperson is."

"Kojima."

"Let's do this right," Jyuu instructed.

Shunsui snorted. "Not much chance of that."


	31. A Cat Among the Pigeons

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**A Cat Among the Pigeons**

Rangiku led the group as they headed back towards their offices.

"We need to be fully stocked. State Department officials. Pentagon. We'll need the Embassy Office--"

"We should get Noba on board," Shunsui interrupted her.

"He's standing by," Rangiku assured.

"And Kurodo at the Pentagon."

"We got him."

"So we're all set, good. So how do we tell them what we know without telling them what we know?" Shunsui asked.

Rangiku shrugged. "Well we don't know anything so that shouldn't be hard. Oh, Gin, could you stop by my office around lunchtime please?"

"Sure."

Both Rangiku and Shunsui took off to their respective offices. Gin turned to Toushiro.

"Think she knows?"

Toushiro was still musing over the whole Komamura issue. "Yeah."

Gin blinked at him. "Why?"

"Because she told me she knows," Toushiro offered not really think about it.

"Could we talk for a moment?" Gin asked.

Toushiro had an idea. Then he realized that Gin was waiting for an answer. "Yeah, in my office. I'll be right back."

Gin headed for his office. Toushiro spotted Mashiro heading somewhere and flagged her down. He plucked the report she was carrying out of her hands.

"Hold on. Stay there," Toushiro instructed as he headed for the gaggle of reporters that were gathered in the lobby between the Oval Office and the senior staff's offices.

"Toushiro?" One of them called.

"Yeah?"

"Did you guys hear what Sajin Komamura said on the radio?"

"Yeah."

The guy looked a little annoyed. "And?"

Toushiro smiled a little. "The Secret Service investigates all threats made against the President. It's White House policy not to comment on those investigations."

"Are you telling me there's going to be a criminal investigation?" The reporter immediately asked.

Toushiro waited a moment as if thinking before answering.

"I really can't comment on that right now." He checked his watch. "Damn, I gotta get back to my office."

He walked away, only pausing to hand the report back to Mashiro. He smiled as he heard the reporters scurrying off and headed back to his office. It might not have done anything to really derail Komamura, but at least it would cause the man some annoyance.


	32. A Few Mistakes

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**A Few Mistakes**

Rangiku was sitting behind her desk, giving instructions to some of the staffers when Gin arrived.

"I think the thing to say is that we don't think anyone here would be disappointed if no one paid attention to the process."

"And this is on agriculture?" one of the women asked.

"Science and technology."

She looked up when Gin rapped lightly on the doorframe. "Hey. We're done here."

The staffers got up and left. Gin stood in the doorway with his hands in his pockets, "Hi."

"Hi."

"You wanted to see me. And I think I know what it's about," Gin started.

"Really? You sussed it out, huh?"

Gin closed the door behind him; he didn't think they wanted anyone else to hear this. Rangiku was pissed.

"Let me tell you something, Gin, you're a smart guy. But if you can figure it out, and I can figure it out, what makes you think that no one in my Press Room can figure it out?"

"There's nothing to figure out." Gin knew that really wasn't what this was about, but it was what Ran could be legitimately pissed off at him about.

"You can't spend time with a call girl. You're going to get caught."

"Caught doing what?"

"Don't get cute with me."

"You are aware that I didn't know she was a call girl when I crashed at her house, right?"

"But you didn't report it as a security threat when she started stalking you either."

"I didn't it was that big a deal."

"It doesn't make a difference."

"It does make a difference," he protested.

"You work in the White House, you work fifty feet from the Oval Office. And you're consorting with a--"

Gin cut her off. "Consorting? The woman is stalking me. This is ridiculous. I'm not sleeping with her. This isn't tawdry."

"I don't care what it is. I care what it looks like," Rangiku told him.

They were getting off topic, and he knew it. "And I care what it is! And I think it's high time we all spend a little less time looking good, and a little more time--"

"Being good?" Rangiku asked.

"Yes."

"Yeah, I've heard that one before. And one other thing."

They really were getting no where, and Gin wanted to get out of here before this conversation got worse than it already was.

"Are we done?" he asked.

"No, Gin, when I say there's 'one other thing', that means we're not done. That there's one other thing."

"I'm resenting the hell out of this conversation." It slipped out.

"It was tough to tell from your tone of voice," Rangiku snarked back.

"What do you want?" Gin demanded.

"I beg your pardon?" Rangiku blinked.

"What's the one other thing?" He just wanted to get this over with.

"I'm your first phone call," Rangiku said.

"When?" Now he was confused.

"Before, now, in the future, anytime you're into something and you don't know what. And you can't tell me that you thought there was nothing to it, because you sat down with Shunsui and you sat down with Toushiro. Anytime you're into something and you don't know what, you don't keep it from me. I'm your first phone call. I'm your first line of defense. You have to let me protect you and you have to let me protect the President."

"Is that what this is about?"

Rangiku got up from her seat. "What this is about Gin is you're a high profile, very visible, much noticed member--"

Gin cut her off. "You just said three things that all mean the same thing."

She glared at him. "You're not going to let this out of your teeth."

"Can I go, Rangiku? Because what I think this is about is you. Once again letting the character cops win in a forfeit because you don't have the guts or the strength or the courage to say 'we know what's right from wrong and this none of your damn business!'"

Rangiku blinked. "Really?"

"Yes!" As soon as it was out of his mouth, Gin realized that he had just lost his temper.

"Strength, guts or courage?" Rangiku asked.

"Yes." He had the sinking feeling that he had just screwed up again.

"You just said three things that all mean the same thing." Her voice was quiet. She sat back down.

Gin bit his lip. He'd hurt her. He really hadn't meant to lose his temper with her. "Rangiku."

"We're done talking now. You can go."

He didn't know what to say to make this better. He opened the door then paused and asked, "About the retaliatory strike, do you think we're going to target--"

"I really don't know what we're going to target, Gin. The commandant of the 2nd division doesn't tend to include me in his thinking." She didn't look up at him.

"I'll see you later," he offered.

"Count on it."

He exited her office and headed back towards his own. He had really hurt her, damn it. He was really going to have to do something to make this up to Ran.


	33. Thunder Clouds

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Thunder Clouds**

The situation room was full. They were just waiting on the president now.

"You know what I was thinking?" Kensei Muguruma asked the man next to him.

"What's that, Admiral?"

"This is different coffee than we usually have."

Urahara entered the room with Ukitake following behind him. Everyone scrambled to the feet.

"Keep your seats." He waved everyone back to their seats.

"Good morning, Mr. President," Kensei was the first to speak.

"What have we got?" Urahara asked.

"Three retaliatory strike scenarios."

Ukitake frowned. "When are they operational?"

"At the President's command."

"No prep time?" Jyuushiro asked.

A general shook his head. "We're there."

"All three scenarios are comprehensive, meet the obligations of proportional response and pose minimal threat to U.S. personal and assets. To turn our attention to scenario one, or Pericles One, to use its code name--"

"What is the virtue of a proportional response?" Urahara interrupted Kensei.

"I'm sorry," Kensei said. He didn't quite understand the question.

"What's the virtue of a proportional response? Why is it good?" Urahara paused a moment. "They hit an airplane, so we hit a transmitter, right? That's a proportional response."

"Sir, in the case of Pericles--"

Urahara interrupted again. "They hit a barracks, so we hit two transmitters?"

"That's roughly it, sir." Kensei nodded.

"It's what we do. I mean this is what we do." The President sounded a little upset.

"Yes sir, it's what we do. It's what we've always done." It was clear that Ukitake was trying to get the man to calm down some.

"Well, if it's what we do, if it's what we've always done, don't they know we're going to do it?"

"Sir, if you would turn your attention to Pericles One," Ukitake started.

"I have turned my attention to Pericles One, it's two ammo dumps, an abandoned railroad bridge and a Syrian intelligence agency."

"Those are four high rated military targets, sir," Kensei added.

"But they know we're going to do that. They know we're going to do that. Those areas have been abandoned for four days. We know that from the satellites. We have the intelligence."

"Sir," Ukitake tried again.

"They did that, so we did this. It's the cost of doing business. It's been factored in, right?"

"Mr. President--"

"Am I right or am I missing something here?" Urahara demanded.

"No, sir. You're right, sir," Kensei replied.

"Then I ask again, what is the virtue of a proportional response?"

The man didn't seem to get it. "It isn't virtuous, Mr. President. It's all there is, sir."

"It is not all there is," the President stated.

"Sir, Admiral Muguruma--" Ukitake started

"Excuse me, Jyuushiro, but pardon me. Mr. President, just what else is there?" Kensei asked.

"A disproportional response. Let the word ring forth from this time and this place, you kill an American, any American, we don't come back with a proportional response, we come back with total disaster!" He pounded his first on the table.

"Are you suggesting we carpet-bomb Damascus?" One of the generals asked.

"General, I am suggesting that you and Admiral Muguruma and Secretary Tsukabishi and the rest of the national security team take the next sixty minutes and put together a U.S. response scenario that doesn't make me think we are just docking somebody's damn allowance!"

Everyone stood as President Urahara stalked out of the room.


	34. The Interview Process

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**The Interview Process**

Ichigo fidgeted nervously as he waited for someone to show up. He could hear voices down the hall.

"I haven't eaten lunch yet, if anyone's going to the thing," a male voice commented.

"What do you want?" a female voice replied.

Moments later the man and woman appeared in the doorway.

"I would like a salad. I would like a soup of some kind and if you were to run across a sandwich, then hang the expense."

"Right." The woman nodded.

"And I would like a bottle of water."

"This is Ichigo Kurosaki," the woman handed the man a file before disappearing back down the hall.

The man glanced down at the file. "I'm supposed to vet you."

Ichigo was even more confused now. "I beg your pardon?"

The man looked up. "I'm supposed to vet you. Investigate to discover if there are problems. I'm Shunsui Kyoraku, Deputy Chief of Staff."

"How are you?"

Shunsui smiled. "Ichigo, you can have a seat if you like."

"I don't mind standing."

The woman passed the door again, and Mr. Kyoraku called out to her.

"Uh, Nanao!"

"What?" She stuck her head in the room.

"Never mind the salad, I'm not going to eat it anyway."

Nanao rolled her eyes. "Fine."

"But I would like a bottle of water as soon as humanly possible."

"Fine." She disappeared again.

Kyoraku smiled at him. "So…have a seat."

Once Ichigo had sat down, Kyoraku continued talking. "I'm sure you understand why we have to go through this. It's a very sensitive job. It's also a very hard job. Twenty-hour days aren't uncommon, long trips at the last minute, a lot of wait and hurry up. Moreover there will be times when you'll have to make yourself invisible in plain sight, as well as an undeniable force in front of those who want more time than we're willing to give. Sometimes the people I'm talking about will be kings and prime ministers, you understand so far?"

Ichigo blinked. What was going on here? "Uh, sir, I'm sorry but I think there's been some sort of mistake."

Kyoraku blinked. "Really?"

Ichigo attempted to explain. "See, I came here, I filled out an application form--"

Kyoraku interrupted him. "Yeah, I have your paperwork."

Ichigo nodded. "Right, see, I came here, I was looking for a job as a messenger, and I had an interview with Miss Kotetsu and she told me to wait."

"Yes."

"And then she told me to come here."

Kyoraku nodded. "Yes, that's because we asked Isane to keep an eye out. She's recommending you for a different job."

Ichigo frowned. "Sir, if you don't mind me asking--"

Kyoraku interrupted him again. "Personal aide to the President, and you don't have to call me 'Sir'."

Now Ichigo was really confused. "I don't understand."

"Personal aide to the President, traditionally a young guy, 20 to 25 years old, excels academically, strong in personal responsibility and discretion, presentable appearance."

"Sir--" Ichigo started, but Kyoraku kept talking.

"We obviously get a lot of candidates that meet those qualifications, the rest is just gut instinct." Then he paused a moment. "Or you could bribe me."

Ichigo blinked. "Uh, um, sir--"

"Seriously, Ichigo, we call the President 'Sir'. Everyone else is 'hey, when am I going to get that thing I asked for?'"

Nanao reentered the room and handed Kyoraku the bottle of water. "Water."

Ichigo had the feeling that he really was in the wrong place. "See, that's not…see, there's been some kind of mistake."

Kyoraku appeared to be reading a report. "I'll say. Nanao!"

The woman stopped in the doorway. Ichigo stood up.

"I should go."

"'Insuccessful'?" Shunsui asked.

Nanao rolled her eyes. "What's the problem?"

"I don't think we're allowed to make up our own words."

"Oh, and like there's no chance it's a typo."

"Change it, would you? Serious people are going to read that."

Nanao took the report and left. Shunsui glanced up at Ichigo.

"Ichigo, you're standing again."

"Well, see, I came here for a messenger job."

"Why aren't you in college?" Kyoraku suddenly asked.

Ichigo was startled by the abrupt shift in conversation. "Well, uh--"

"These transcripts. Your grades are better than mine."

"Mr. Kyoraku."

"Well, no, not really, but they're close."

"It was an easy school," Ichigo defended.

"No, come on. I'm looking at recommendations from guidance counselors. I'm looking at ACT scores. You didn't want to go to college?"

Ichigo shifted slightly. "Well, I have little sisters at home."

Kyoraku met his eyes. "You take care of her?"

"Yes, sir."

"Your parents are gone?"

"My mom, she's a police officer. She was shot and killed on duty a few months ago. Five months ago."


	35. Rumbling Thunder

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Rumbling Thunder**

Urahara walked into the situation room, motioning for everyone to stay seated. There were times when protocol was a pain.

"Keep your seats. There's a delegation of cardiologists having their pictures taken in the Blue Room. You wouldn't think you could find a group of people more arrogant than the fifteen of us, but there they are right upstairs in the Blue Room. You called me?" He tried for a light hearted tone.

Kensei rose to his feet. "Yes, sir. Mr. President, we put together a scenario by which we attack Hassan airport. Its three main terminals and two runways. In addition to the civilian causalities, which could register in the thousands, the strike would temporally cripple the region's ability to receive medical supplies and bottled water. I think Mr. Hachigen and Secretary Tsukabishi would each tell you what I'm sure you already know sir. That this strike would be seen at home and abroad as a staggering overreaction by a first time Commander in Chief. That without the support of our allies, without a Western Coalition, without Great Britain and Japan and without Congress, you'll have doled out a five thousand dollar punishment for a fifty buck crime, sir. Mr. President, the proportional response doesn't empty the options box for the future, the way an all out assault--"

Urahara interrupted him with the wave of a hand. "Thank you. Does anyone have a cigarette?"

One of the other officers in the room slid a pack of cigarettes and a lighter towards the president. Urahara pulled out a cigarette and lit it, though he didn't raise it to his mouth.

"This other plan--" Urahara started.

"Pericles One," Kensei filled in.

"Pericles One. No civilian causalities?"

"We can't promise that."

"But you're as certain as you can be?" Urahara questioned.

"Yes, sir."

"And what are the military implications?"

Another officer answered that. "We'll cripple both their intelligence network and their surface to air strike capabilities."

"Very well." Urahara looked at Ukitake. "How does this work?"

Kensei spoke up. "You give me the go order, sir."

One of the officers at the table got up and moved over to the phone on the wall. Urahara sighed.

"Mr. President?" Kensei asked.

Urahara nodded. Kensei walked over and took the phone from the officer.

"This is Muguruma, I have a go order from the President. Start the clock on Pericles One. Stand by for confirmation code."

Another officer nodded. "We're underway."

Urahara tossed the cigarette into a glass of water. He got up and stood in the doorway.

Kensei looked over at him. "Well done."

Urahara just shook his head. "Fifty buck crime."

He turned to Ukitake before leaving the room. "I honestly don't know what the hell we're doing here."


	36. A Few More Questions

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**A Few More Questions**

Shunsui sat at a table with a bunch of papers. He smiled at Ichigo.

"Ichigo, I've got some questions here for you from the Council's office, as well as the Department of the Treasury and the Office of Internal Security. These questions are all routine, there's no cause for concern. Ready?"

"Mr. Kyoraku."

"Have you ever tried to overthrow the government?"

"Is it because the messenger job is not available anymore? Because maybe if I came back at a different time--"

"Ichigo, this job's actually better than the messenger job. It pays more, you don't have to ride around town on a bicycle, and instead of being a messenger, you get to be personal aide to the President."

Ichigo nodded. "I see. So, maybe if I come--"

Gin popped into the room. Shunsui grinned.

"Hey, Gin. This is Gin Ichimaru, he's the deputy communications director. This is Ichigo Kurosaki. He's here for Hiroshi's job."

Gin smiled. "It's nice to meet you, don't get up."

"Um, I was here for the messenger job," Ichigo said.

"Isane's got an eye for personnel."

"I've got a driver's license and my own bike so--"

Shunsui sighed. "I got to ask you some more questions--"

"Have you ever tried to overthrow the government?" Gin asked.

"No, sir."

"What the hell's been stopping you?" was Gin's next question.

Ichigo looked confused. Shunsui and Gin just laughed until Toushiro walked in.

"Jyuushiro's office."

"What?" Shunsui was in chorus with Gin on that one.

Toushiro met their eyes. "It's happening."


	37. Hurry Up and Wait

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Hurry Up and Wait**

Shunsui stood in front of the table in the Roosevelt Room watching the frenzied bustle of the staffers all around him. Toushiro walked into the room closely followed by Hiyori.

"Estimated BDA?" she was asking.

Toushiro shrugged. "It's my first bombing. I don't know yet."

Hiyori nodded and was back out of the room.

Shunsui started. "Toushiro, you need help with anything because--"

"No!" The Communications director made his own exit.

Shunsui just sighed and glanced around the room. "If you need me for anything…standing here with absolutely nothing to do."


	38. Prepping

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Prepping**

The Communications bullpen was in a frenzy. Toushiro stalked into his office just as the phone rang. Misato Ochi, Rangiku's assistant grabbed it.

"White House Communications. I'm sorry Toushiro's not available to speak on the phone at the moment. No, Gin's not available either." Misato hung up just as Rangiku entered the room. "Why isn't anyone available to speak on the phone?"

Rangiku shrugged. "I don't know. They're planning my surprise party."

She made her way over to Toushiro's office and stood in the doorway, watching as Gin and Toushiro worked on the speech.

"Unprovoked and cold-blooded," Gin offered.

"It's needs a third," was Toushiro's response.

Rangiku interrupted. "Toushiro?"

"Quickly."

"The AGM 84 Islam," Rangiku said.

Toushiro yelled out the door. "Misato! Gin cut the paragraph ten minutes ago."

"It's coming out on the redline," Misato called back.

"The 84 Islam?" Rangiku asked again.

"Standoff land attack missile. Distinguish it from the AGM 84D or Harpoon, which is an anti-shive missile," Toushiro replied.

"Thank you." She could hear the boys still discussing the speech as she walked away.

"The third thing?"

"Unwarranted, unprovoked--"

"And cold-blooded. Unwarranted."

"Unprovoked."

"And cold-blooded. Great."

"I just need a…" Gin's voice trailed off.

"Where you going?"

"Two seconds. Just two seconds." It didn't take him more than one to catch up with her. "Rangiku, listen."

"What?" she asked.

"I'm sorry about before," he looked pretty hangdog about it.

"Yes."

There was a moment of silence between them.

"Go back to work," she told him.

"Right."

Rangiku continued on her way to Shunsui's bullpen which forced her to walk through the gaggle of reporters in the lobby. One of the more annoying ones, Ririn insisted on waylaying her.

"Rangiku, what's all the activity?"

"What activity?"

"Muguruma was in Jyuushiro's office."

Rangiku rolled her eyes and started walking again. "Admiral Muguruma is Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Jyuushiro Ukitake is White House chief of staff. I'm your host Rangiku. Let's play our game."

"Is it happening?"

"No."

"Would you know if it was?"

Rangiku just shook her head, "Guys."

"Why all the activity?"

"Elvis is in the building. I've got to go."


	39. Nothing to Do

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Nothing to Do**

Shunsui walked through the halls before finally deciding to perch on the edge of Nanao's desk.

"Where's Ichigo?"

Nanao didn't look up from her work. "He's filling out his employment stuff at Personnel."

"How's he doing?"

"He looked pretty freaked."

Shunsui just grinned. "He's a gamer. I can pick 'em."

Nanao shrugged. "If you say so."

Shunsui glanced around at the bustle and twiddled his thumbs. "I've got nothing to do."

"I can see that."

Someone on Toushiro's staff ran by, pausing to grab something before heading back in the direction they had come.

"Everyone's running around like the future of the world depends on it, which I suppose it does. Everyone else is running around working. Me, I've got nothing to do."

Nanao still hadn't really looked up from whatever she was doing. "Yes."

"I'm like a writer on a movie set."

"Have you ever been on a movie set?" she countered.

"No, but I hear stories."

Nanao rolled her eyes and looked up at him. "You want do mail?"

He translated that as: do something useful or go away. Shunsui sighed and pulled up a chair, taking the stack of things she handed him. "I suppose there's some comfort in knowing that whatever's going to happen today has already happened."


	40. Storm Breaking

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Storm Breaking**

Shunsui led Ichigo through the halls on their way to the Oval Office, pointing out this as they went.

"This used to be the White House Council's office 'til Toushiro and the Communications staff conquered and pillaged. There's the Map Room. The Roosevelt Room. The Oval Office, and the Chief of Staff. I guess the only thing left to do is to say hello to the President."

Ichigo froze. Shunsui kept walking and talking.

"We're going on the air in a few minutes with a national address so I don't know how much…where the hell did he go? Ichigo."

Shunsui beckoned him forward into the Oval Office. Inside, Gin and Toushiro were working with President Urahara on the speech while staffers and the camera crew rushed around getting everything set up for the broadcast.

"What happened to paragraph nine?" Urahara asked.

"In the red line, sir," came Gin's reply.

"I'm sorry, paragraph eight."

"We cut that half an hour ago."

"You have to read between the lines," Toushiro told him.

"Well, I want to see it again."

"You should look at the new paragraph," Toushiro insisted.

"I can't look at anything, fellas. Ms. Tsumugiya! I need my glasses!"

"Sir, she's talking to the porters right now," one of the staffers said.

"Mr. President," Toushiro was trying to get the president's attention again.

"When do we get the BDA?" the president asked.

Toushiro bit his lip. "Uh."

Gin sighed. "There's a problem with that, sir."

"Why?" Urahara demanded.

Toushiro looked uncomfortable. "Ordinarily we get help from inside the Syrian Intelligence."

"So what's the problem?"

"We just blew up the Syrian Intelligence."

Urahara rolled his eyes and threw up his hands. "Oh, for crying out loud. Will somebody get on the phone to CNN and find out if we hit anything!"

A staffer rushed in with a piece of paper.

"Mr. President, it's the BDA, sir."

"Thank you! Now if I had my glasses."

Ururu walked into the room. "The porters have searched your bedroom from top to bottom."

"This has been since this morning. We could have brought in an optometrist by now."

"An optometrist can't fold his equipment into a briefcase."

"They have those machines with the lenses," offered on of the staffers.

"I don't need an optometrist now, thank you. I just need to glasses he prescribed."

Rangiku strode into the room. "Mr. President, if you'll take a minute or two to familiarize yourself with the phoenix."

"I got the briefing on the phoenix."

"You understand that I'm not talking about the sidewinder."

"The phoenix. I got the briefing on the phoenix last night. I studied the report. Tessai was there in my private study."

Beside him, Ichigo frowned before suggesting something to Shunsui. Shunsui listened to him with half an ear as he watched the chaos in front of them unfold. The president was still speaking.

"The phoenix, the A61, the sparrow, and the sidewinder. Are we covered?"

"Yes, sir."

"Very well."

"Ten minutes to air, Mr. President."

Shunsui gave Ichigo a look. "Tell him."

"For want of a pair of glasses," Urahara grumbled.

"Try mine, sir."

"We're looking," Ururu called from just outside.

"Thank you." Urahara slid on Rangiku's reading glasses.

"While they're looking, sir, in the meantime can you take a look at the new paragraph?" Toushiro wanted to know.

"Aw, crap. I can't see anything with those."

Shunsui nudged Ichigo. "Ichigo, tell him."

The young man finally spoke up, his voice uncertain. "Mr. President, you said you read the phoenix report--"

"What?" Urahara cut him off.

"You said you read the phoenix report in your private study last night, sir." His voice was a little firmer this time.

"What of it? Who is this?"

Ururu had figured it out. She turned to one of the staffers. "Have a steward go the President's study. Have him look under the papers on the coffee table."

Shunsui took the opportunity to introduce Ichigo. "Mr. President, this is Ichigo Kurosaki--"

"I don't have anytime for new people now!" The president snapped.

"Alright, that's it." Jyuushiro stepped forward. "Excuse me, Mr. President, a minute please."

Shunsui let out a sigh of relief. Hopefully, Jyuu could get the president in a better mood before the broadcast.


	41. Fresh Air

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the episode "A Proportional Response".

* * *

**Fresh Air**

Once everyone had been shooed out of the room, Jyuushiro made sure that the doors were shut. They didn't need an audience for this. But someone had to get Urahara out of his funk.

"What do you need, Jyuushiro?"

Jyuu shrugged. "Well, you've gone through everyone who works for you and everyone who's married to you. I didn't know who else you could get mad at, so I was afraid the American people might be next. Oh, by the way, when we're done here you're sending Yoruichi some flowers."

The president blinked at him a moment before speaking. "Did you know that two thousand years ago a Roman citizen could walk across the face of the known world free of the fear of molestation? He could walk across the earth unharmed, cloaked only in the words 'Civis Romanis'. I am a Roman citizen. So great was the retribution of Rome, universally understood as certain, should any harm befall even one of its citizens. Where was Kaien' protection, or anyone else on that plane? Where is the retribution for the families and where is the warning to the rest of the world that Americans shall walk this earth unharmed, lest the clenched fist of the most mighty military force in the history of mankind comes crashing down on your house? In other words, Jyuushiro, what the hell are we doing here?"

He calmly met the president's eyes. "We are behaving the way a superpower ought to behave."

Urahara shook his head. "Well, our behavior has produced some pretty crappy results. In fact, I'm not a hundred percent sure it hasn't induced them."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about two hundred and eight-six American marines in Beirut. I'm talking about Somalia. I'm talking about Nairobi."

Jyuu raised an eyebrow. "And you think ratcheting up the body count's going to act as a deterrent?"

"You're damn right."

Jyuushiro just shook his head. "Then you are just as dumb as these guys who think that capital punishment is going to be a deterrent for drug kingpins. As if drug kingpins didn't live their day to day lives under the possibility of execution. And their executions are a lot less dainty than ours and tend to take place without the bother and expense of due process. So my friend, if you want to start using American military strength as the arm of the Lord, you can do that, we're the only superpower left. You can conquer the world, like Charlemagne, but you better be prepared to kill everyone, and you better start with me cause I will raise up an army against you, and I will beat you!"

"He had a ten-day-old baby at home," Urahara said.

"I know." And there was nothing Jyuu could say to make that fact any easier to swallow.

"We are doing nothing. They dest--"

Jyuu cut him off. "We are not doing nothing. Four high rated military targets."

"And this is good?"

Jyuu snorted. "Of course it's not good. There is no good. It's what there is. It's how you behave if you're the most powerful nation in the world. It's proportional, it's reasonable, it's responsible, it's merciful. It's not nothing. Four high rated military targets."

"Which they'll rebuild again in six months."

"So we'll blow 'em up again in six months! We're getting really good at it," Jyuushiro retorted. "It's what our fathers taught us."

Urahara sat down with a sigh. "Why didn't you say so?"

Jyuushiro let out a sigh of his own. It looked like Urahara had managed to bleed off the worst of his rage. The president just shook his head.

"Oh man, Jyuushiro. When I think of all the work you put in to get me to get me elected. I could pommel your ass with a baseball bat."

Jyuu sat down on the edge of the desk and laughed with him. They both needed some humor. Grinning, Jyuu knew exactly what to offer.

"Oh, here's one you'll like. Sajin Komamura--

Urahara cut hit off, rubbing his hands together. "Oh, I like anything that starts with 'Sajin Komamura'. Let's have it."

"Komamura goes on the radio yesterday and he says people in his district love America and you better not come down there cause you might not get out alive," he was laughing before he had finished the sentence.

"Sajin's calling me out?" Urahara grinned.

"Apparently, the people in Sajin's district are so patriotic that if the President of the United States himself were to show up, they'd kill him."

Both of the men were laughing now.

"Hitsugaya must be ballistic," Urahara said.

"Toushiro is on it."

Urahara smiled. "Oh, by the way, who was that kid before? The one who figured out where my glasses are?"

Jyuushiro smiled; things were back on track. "Well, if you want him, that's your new body man."

"What's his story?"

Jyuu grinned. Things were going to be okay.


	42. That Feeling

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the episode "A Proportional Response".

* * *

**That Feeling**

Shunsui stood with Ichigo in the hall while they waited for Jyuu and the President to finish up whatever it was they were doing in there. He felt that he needed to explain things to the young man.

"This was just, I think, a bad day. I have to tell you, he's ordinarily an extremely kind man placing a very high premium on civility. Today, it's just been a difficult few days for him."

"I think I should probably go," Ichigo replied.

However, before Shunsui could come up with a reason to keep the kid here, the door had opened and Urahara beckoned them in. "Excuse me, Ichigo. Can I see you inside please? Come on, it's okay."

Shunsui followed Ichigo into the Oval Office.

"I'm Kisuke Urahara."

"I'm Ichigo Kurosaki."

Urahara nodded. "Listen, Jyuushiro Ukitake filled me in on the situation with your mother. I'm so very sorry. I hope you don't mind but I took the liberty of calling Kirio Hikifune, the FBI Director. We had the computer spit out some quick information, you're mother was killed by a Western .38 Revolver firing K.T.W.s, or what are known as 'Cop Killer bullets'. Now we have not had a whole lot of success banning that weapon and those bullets off the streets, but we're planning on taking a big whack at it when Congress gets back from recess. So, what do you say, you want to come help us out?"

"Yes, sir, I do."

"Thanks."

Shunsui grinned as they shook hands. He had known Ichigo would be a good choice.

"Thirty seconds please!" The director called.

As Urahara moved to sit down at his desk, Jyuu asked, "All set?"

"You tell me," Urahara replied.

"That's a pretty ugly tie."

"My niece gave me this tie."

Jyuu raised an eyebrow. "So? My nephew gave me an ashtray he made at summer camp."

"Get away from me. Somebody throw this guy out of the building!"

The director rolled his eyes. "Stand by."

Ichigo stood with Shunsui and the rest of the senior staff out of the way but where they could all see what was going on.

"I've never felt like this before."

Shunsui knew exactly what he was talking about. He'd felt the same thing more than once since starting to work for the Urahara campaign. "It doesn't go away."

The newscaster was introducing the president. "Here now, the President."

Urahara spoke. "My fellow Americans, good evening. A short while ago I ordered our Armed Forces to attack and destroy four military targets in Northern Syria, this in response to the unwarranted, unprovoked and cold-blooded downing three days ago of an unarmed Air Force jet carrying 58 passengers and the flag of the United States."


	43. Making Amends

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show. Tales From the West Wing will be going on a brief hiatus while I figure out where the story goes from here.

* * *

**Making Amends**

Gin nervously shifted his weight from foot to foot as he waited for Rangiku to finish her meeting with her staff. He really hoped this would go over well. He's spent hours coming up with and rejecting different ways of apologizing to Rangiku. He had finally settled on this one, but now he was having second thoughts. Of course, it was rather late for that. It would be very hard for him to back out now. So all there really was to do was wait and see what Rangiku thought. He clutched the box in his arms a little tighter.

The meeting finally ended, and the various staff members filed out of Rangiku's office. Gin stepped into the doorway.

"Hey."

Rangiku looked up from her desk. "Hey."

There was an awkward silence for a moment before Gin finally set the box down the desk.

"This is for you."

Rangiku gave him a look but she reached for the box's lid anyway. Setting the lid aside, she peered into the box. Her eyes went wide and she reached inside to lift her gift out. He hoped she liked it. Rangiku cradled the little bundle of grey fur to her chest and looked at him wide eyed. Gin just shrugged.

"You've always said that you wanted a cat. She's about eight weeks old."

Rangiku gently rubbed her nose against the top of the kitten's head. "What's her name?"

"That's up to you, Ran."

She smiled down at the kitten. "Haineko."

Gin smiled at the pair. They were very cute together. And given that she seemed to like her gift, he would say that this worked fairly well. Hopefully, she understood the sentiment behind the gift. He turned to head back to his office.

"Gin?"

He looked back at Rangiku. She smiled at him.

"Thanks."


	44. She Who Runs His Office

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**She Who Runs His Office**

Shunsui found Nanao walking beside him. He blinked. She hadn't been there a moment ago.

"You have a staff meeting."

Shunsui blinked; he was actually on time right now and going where he was supposed too. "That's where I'm going."

His assistant shrugged. "I'm just telling you."

"Yes, but you see that's obviously where I'm going, and yet you tell me anyway." Shunsui didn't mention that half the time he needed such reminders.

Nanao rolled her eyes. "And you don't find that adorable?"

"That you seek to control me?" He didn't know what he'd do without her. "Love it."

His assistant just shook her head and sighed. "Kenichi hasn't called me yet."

"Who's Kenichi?" Shunsui couldn't think of anyone important to his assistant by that name.

"Kenichi?"

"Yes." He was drawing a blank.

"From the thing? Where Rangiku introduced us?"

"Right." Shunsui stopped to pour himself a cup of coffee from the office coffee pot; he really didn't like to think about Nanao dating anyone. Well except maybe him. "Can we clear up a few things about my level of interest in the revolving door of local gomers that you see, in the free time you create by not working very hard at your job?"

"Excuse me?" She leveled a glare at him.

Shunsui quickly back stepped, and she really didn't date all that much. Just whenever Rangiku set her up, and she couldn't avoid it. "You work hard at your job."

"How hard?" His quiet little assistant could be surprisingly fierce.

"Very hard."

"And I am?"

"Not at all controlling."

Her look softened. "Thank you. You have a staff meeting."

"On my way."

They parted ways. Nanao heading back to his office while he head for that staff meeting.

"Wait, there's another thing."

Nanao's voice brought him to a halt. "What?"

"Hang on." She began fishing through the stack of things in her arms.

"Nanao?"

"Hang on." She produced a note from inside a folder. "Here it is. Jyuushiro wants you to meet someone named Kano from the National Security Council in his office after staff."

"Thank you."

"What do you think it's about?" Nanao asked.

"I don't know. But this is the White House, so it's probably not that important."

Rangiku scooted around Nanao and headed straight for him. "Shunsui!"

"Ma'am." He didn't think he had done anything to piss off the press secretary today, but it was better safe than sorry.

"There's an article I want you to read in the New Yorker," she informed him as they continued on towards the staff meeting.

"What's it about?"

"Smallpox."

Shunsui blinked, a little startled. "The disease?"

"No, the dessert topping, Shunsui."

He shrugged. "Okay."

Rangiku rolled her eyes. "Yes, the disease."

It was a sort of odd request, but then again, it was total crackpot day again. Things were going to be weird. He couldn't wait to see what Jyuu had up his sleeve at the staff meeting.


	45. Total Crackpot Day

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Total Crackpot Day**

They were trying to explain things to the latest addition to the senior White House staff. Kukaku Shiba had just joined the staff as a public relations consultant, and she wasn't exactly used to some of the staff traditions.

"We do it at the first of every month," Kiyone said.

Mashiro shrugged. "We've missed a few months."

Gin nodded. "But, generally speaking, we try to do it on the first of every month."

"We've done it twice in 12 months," Toushiro corrected.

Gin shrugged. "We're a little behind."

"I still don't know what we're talking about," Kukaku said.

Toushiro rolled his eyes. "It's 'Throw Open Our Office Doors to People Who Want To Discuss Things That We Could Care Less About Day'"

She didn't look impressed. "Well, that sounds goofy, doesn't it?"

"It's not so bad. You talk to them for a minute. You give them a souvenir pen with the Presidential seal on it." Gin smiled.

"This isn't a waste of time?"

Kiyone sighed. "Oh, it's definitely a waste of time, but it's one of Jyuushiro's pet office policies."

"Why?"

Jyuushiro walked into the room. "Good morning."

Toushiro leaned over to whisper to her, "Sadly, you're about to find out."

Jyuu eyed the people sitting around the table. "Andrew Jackson in the main foyer of his White House had a big block of cheese."

There were some snickers around the table.

"I am making a mental list of those who are snickering, and even as I speak I'm preparing appropriate retribution." Jyuushiro paused a moment. "The block of cheese was huge—over two tons. And it was there for any and all who might be hungry."

"Jyuushiro, wouldn't this time be better spent plotting a war against a country that can't possibly defend itself against us?" Toushiro asked.

"We can do that later, Toushiro. Right now I'm talking about President Andrew Jackson."

"Actually, right now, you're talking about a big block of cheese," Gin corrected.

"And Gin goes on my list!"

"What about Toushiro?" Gin protested.

"I'm unpredictable." Jyuu smiled and continued on. "Jackson wanted the White House to belong to the people, so from time to time, he opened his doors to those who wished an audience.

"And then he locked the doors behind them and made them eat two tons of cheese," Kukaku commented.

"It is in that spirit-"

"Hang on," Gin interrupted. "Kukaku doesn't go on the list?"

"Kukaku is new," Jyuu told him.

"So it's just me on the list?"

Jyuushiro smirked. "Yes. It is in the spirit of Andrew Jackson that I, from time to time, ask senior staff to have face-to-face meetings with those people representing organizations who have a difficult time getting our attention. I know the more jaded among you see this as something rather beneath you. But I assure you that listening to the voices of passionate Americans is beneath no one, and surely not the peoples' servants."

Shunsui chose that moment to walk into the meeting with Rangiku following behind him. He grinned at Jyuushiro. "Sorry, we're late. Is it 'Total Crackpot Day' again?"

Jyuushiro rolled his eyes. "Yes, it is."

"And let us please note that Shunsui does not go on the list." It was clear that Gin had an issue with this.

Jyuushiro looked at Shunsui. "Actually you've got a thing right now."

Shunsui just shrugged. "Yeah, I know. Nanao told me."

Jyuushiro looked back at the waiting staffers with a grin. "Kiyone, hand out those appointments would you?"


	46. An Issue

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**An Issue**

Shunsui followed Jyuu into the hallway.

"What's up?"

His friend smiled. "First of all."

And then he hit the back of Shunsui's head.

"Ow!" Normally it was only Nanao that hit him.

"That's for 'Total Crackpot Day.'"

Shunsui rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah."

The two of them entered Jyuushiro's office where a man Shunsui didn't know was waiting for them. Shunsui held out his hand.

"Second of all, this is Ashido Kano," Jyuu continued.

"Shunsui Kyoraku."

Kano shook his head. "Good to meet you. Mr. Ukitake, would you mind?"

Jyuushiro closed the door and stood beside it.

"Thanks." He turned to Shunsui. "I only have a few moments. I know you're busy too."

"What can I do for you?" Shunsui asked.

Kano opened a folder laid out on Jyuu's office table on the table and removed a green card. He handed it to Shunsui.

"I'd like you to keep this card on your person at all times. If you keep it in your wallet and you lose your wallet, your first call isn't to American Express. It's to us."

Shunsui peered at the card. "Who's us?"

"I'm sorry. I thought you knew. I'm with the N.S.C."

Shunsui nodded, trying to figure out why the National Security Council cared about him. "They told me that a minute…what's the card do?"

"Tells you where to go in the event of a nuclear attack."

Shunsui looked up at the man and blinked. "You're kidding me."

KANO shook his head. "Obviously, we want to get everyone up on Air Force One or into one of the underground command centers as quickly as possible."

"Sure…well, um…okay, I really, um, I don't know what to say." Shunsui really didn't like thinking about that sort of thing.

"I guess that's it then?" Jyuu asked.

"Should you have any questions, you should feel free to call," Lacy told him.

"Sure. Sure, and my staff goes with me or do they have separate…" Shunsui's voice trailed off.

Silence filled the room. Kano looked at Jyuushiro who glanced away, and Shunsui suddenly realized that this was just for him. That he would be the only one saved.

"Oh, God! Sorry…you know what? I just got it. Sorry…Ok, sure." He stuck the card in his wallet continuing to ramble. "I'm just going to stick this right here next to my, uh, my video club membership and there's no reason, I guess, why my staff ever has to know anything about it. So there it is. And I think the best thing to do is just forget all about it. I'll go now."

Jyuushiro opened the door, knowing that Shunsui needed to get some space. Shunsui took a last look at Kano and then walked out. The hallway was full of various staffers, and none of them knew that if the worst happened, he would be safe and they wouldn't. Shunsui turned down the hall and headed back to his office.


	47. Distracted

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Distracted**

Shunsui stared at the doors leading to the press briefing room, not really seeing anything. His mind was too caught up thinking about that damn card. Which was why he jumped when Rangiku came up behind him.

"What's going on?"

"Hmm?"

"What's going on?" Rangiku repeated.

"Oh, we're doing the thing." Shunsui honestly wasn't sure why he needed to be there, but oh well, it was just another part of the job.

"Why aren't you in there?"

"I was just going in." And he had been until his thoughts about that damn card and what it meant hit him.

The president's secretary passed the two of them coming out of the Briefing Room. Rangiku smiled at her.

"Good morning, Ms. Tsumugiya. Where are we in the saga of Toushiro and the President?"

"They seem to be having a disagreement," the woman said softly.

Rangiku raised an eyebrow. "A disagreement or a fight?"

"Well, it certainly has the potential-"

She was cut off by a shout from the other room.

"Oh, for God's sakes Toushiro!"

Ururu sighed. "There we go."

She headed back to the Oval Office, and Shunsui's mind drifted once again to that card that was burning a hole in his wallet.

"Let's go in." When he didn't answer her, Rangiku grabbed his arm. "Shunsui!"

"Hmm?"

"Let's go in."

Pulling him after her, Rangiku headed into the briefing room. Shunsui shook his head and tried to stop thinking about the card and what he would lose if he ever had to follow the instructions on it.


	48. Getting Out Of It

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Getting Out of It**

"Sir-" Toushiro started.

"I'm not going to come out and say the bill we just passed is worthless," Urahara cut him off.

"If we could just admit its weaknesses."

"Toushiro," Kukaku started.

"Why not?" the chief of communications demanded.

"It will infuriate the left, it will energize the right, and everyone in the middle will feel they just got yanked around," Kukaku trailed off. "I'm sorry, Mr. President, did you want to answer that?"

"Yeah, my answer was going to be 'because I said so,' but you did pretty good," Urahara grinned.

"Say nothing of taking a victory and declaring defeat," Kukaku added.

Gin nodded. "Yes."

Kukaku gave Toushiro a look. "Look, Toushiro, by changing some words-"

He cut her off. "By changing some words, the world can move or not by changing some words."

The president had wandered over to the sideboard of coffee and pastries. "What's your point?"

"I have many points, sir. I choose not to make them right now."

Urahara spread cream cheese on a bagel. "Well, on behalf of everybody in the West Wing, Toushiro, let me just say that that's a relief."

Mashiro slipped into the room to hand a message to Gin.

He sighed then spoke. "Excuse me, Jyuushiro."

"Yes?"

"Mashiro tells me my first 'cheese' appointment is here, but I think preparing the President for this press conference should be a priority."

"I agree," Rangiku nodded.

The chief of staff shook his head. "No."

Rangiku pouted. "Jyuushiro, it-"

He cut her off. "No!"

"But I really need to get-" Gin tried.

"You're not getting out of these appointments."

"This is a very important press conference," Rangiku protested.

"This is a thoroughly unimportant press conference."

"I think this press conference is about our future," Gin added.

The president was still eating his bagel. "I think this press conference is about we haven't had a press conference in a while."

"Gin, go," Jyuushiro instructed.

Ichigo walked into the room, looking at his watch. "Mr. President?"

"We're going too," Urahara spoke, heading for the door.

"Sir-" Toushiro started.

Jyuushiro shook his head. "We'll pick this up this afternoon, Toushiro."


	49. Unidentified Flying Objects

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Unidentified Flying Objects**

Gin walked into his office to find a man waiting for him who looked exactly like the stereotypical nerd. He shut the door. According to the information that Kiyone had given him this was Izuru Kira from the United States Space Command.

"So, you are from the United States Space Command?"

Kira nodded. "Not a lot of people know about us."

Gin gestured for the man to take a seat. "This is my first time."

Kira shrugged. "We're a little nerdy, I'll admit."

"You camouflage it well with your clothing."

"I'm used to that, Gin."

"What can I do for you, Izuru?"

"In a nutshell?" Kira asked.

Gin shrugged. "So to speak."

"We'd like the White House to pay a little more attention to UFOs."

Gin blinked. "Are we paying any attention at all right now?"

"No."

He let out a sigh of relief. "Thank God. Like we don't have enough trouble with the First Lady and her Ouija board."

Kira seemed unfazed. "I would like you to show the President some data we've collected on some possible extraterrestrial contact."

Gin could just imagine how that meeting might go. "I really can't do that."

Kira frowned. "May I ask why not?"

"Because the President will either yell at me or laugh at me. Either way, it won't work out well for me."

"This morning at 6:35 a.m. local time, air traffic control in Honolulu picked up an unidentified flying object flying east across the Pacific towards California. Air Force and Naval jets have been in the area for hours and have been unable to establish visual contact. These things happen and go unexplained. You don't think this is something you should take to the President?"

"No," Gin shook his head.

"Again, may I ask why not?"

"Because there are levels and an order to our air defense command, and to jump from a radar officer to a commander-in-chief would skip several of those levels."

"Like what?"

Gin shrugged again. "Like the Pentagon, and, you know, perhaps, therapy."

Kira nodded reluctantly. "Okay, I can see that."

"Izuru, no hard feelings, but I can't walk into the cabinet room and ask the President to put down the budget surplus because there are flying saucers over Maui."

The man stood to leave. "Something's heading east in the sky over the Pacific. It's in and out of our radar. We can't see it, and it's up there right now. I leave you with that thought."

Gin stood up to shake hands with the man.

"It's been good meeting with you, and I hope that you don't feel that you've wasted your time." He held out a pen with the presidential seal on it. "I leave you with this pen."

At least now he was done with his cheese assignment for the day. Though Gin couldn't but help wondering what Rangiku got stuck with this time.


	50. The Power of the Presidential Seal

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**The Power of the Presidential Seal**

Economics was one of the subjects were the president knew more than he did. Jyuushiro was more than glad to let him take the reins for the meeting for the most part.

"I'm the only one in the room who isn't an economist, but it seems to me that the annual budget for the new fiscal year is found either in balance, in deficit, or in surplus. I don't know how I can sell congress, to say nothing of people who graduated eighth grade on the idea that there's anything in between." He grinned apologetically.

"Jyuushiro's not talking about the portion being accounted for as off budget and particularly not the long-term capital outlays," Urahara continued.

Jyuu shrugged. "Here's where you lose me."

Urahara continued to speak. "Ten years ago, the federal budget had a deficit of twenty-two billion dollars but the national debt rose from five point two trillion to five point four trillion in the same fiscal year."

Ichigo slipped into the room and handed the president a note.

"Thank you. That's a debt increase of 188 million against a 22 billion dollar deficit." Urahara took a moment to read the note. "Oh, this is good news."

"You knew those numbers in your head?" a woman asked.

"The President's startlingly freakish that way," Jyuu commented; it was true after all. Either that or Urahara had made it all up.

Urahara grinned at Jyuu. "Rukia's coming for dinner."

"She's in town?"

Urahara's youngster niece was a favorite of the senior staff. She was also practically Urahara and Yoruichi's daughter. Technically, she wasn't related to them, but she had been an adopted niece for so long most people forgot about that, and she had been practically raised by Kisuke and Yoruichi. Rukia Kuchiki was the sister-in-law of Byakuya Kuchiki who was both White House Counsel and a distant cousin of Yoruichi's.

"Yes." The president grinned at everyone in the room. "My niece's starting Georgetown after the first and she's scouting off-campus housing. Guys, we're done. I'm sorry, but some of my staff has been waiting and they haven't had the chance to bother me for a couple of hours. Thanks so much."

The president left the room rubbing his hands together. "I'm going to make chili!"

Jyuu had a bad feeling about this. "Yes."

"I'll make it for everybody. Ichigo!"

"Sir-"

"My friends, my niece, my beer, and some chili. Yes!"

"And you're going to be the one to, you know, cook this food?" Jyuushiro asked as they entered the Oval Office. Ichigo followed behind them.

"Yes, sir?"

"Ah, Ichigo. My youngest niece, Rukia, is down from Hanover. I'm making chili tonight. It's her favorite."

The young man bit his lip. "Uh, sir, you know the first lady does not want you to eat-"

"The first lady's in Pakistan. I can eat whatever I want."

"Yes, sir."

"I'm going to need some ingredients."

"Like what?"

"Well, he'll need some chili," Jyuu commented.

"Don't ever listen to him." Urahara instructed. "Look, Ms. Tsumugiya's got it all written down somewhere. Just tell her to give it to the steward's office. And send everyone else in."

"Yes, sir." The young man headed out of the office.

"Thank you, Ichigo!"

"How could you possibly remember that ten years ago there was a one hundred eight-eight million dollar debt increase off a twenty-two billion dollar deficit?" Jyuushiro asked.

Urahara clutched a hand to his chest. "God, I was right?"

Jyuushiro just shook his head. "Ah, see, that's what I thought."

The president laughed, and Jyuu was still shaking his head as the senior staff began wandering in. The president grinned at them.

"Everyone! Come in. Come on in. Hey, listen up everybody. Rukia's down from Hanover. I'm making chili for everyone tonight."

The response was not very enthusiastic.

"Great."

"Okay."

"Chili?"

Urahara glanced at Jyuushiro, clearly wanted a more excited response. Then he shook his head and glanced around at the senior staffers. "All right. You know what? Let's do this. Everybody look down at the big seal in the middle of my carpet."

Everyone looked down at the Presidential Seal on the carpet in the middle of the room.

Urahara smiled. "Now, everybody look back up at me. Rukia's coming down from Hanover, and I'm making chili for everyone tonight."

This time the staff's reaction was loud and overly enthusiastic.

"That's great!"

"I love chili!"

"Terrific!"

President Urahara smiled. "There, you see how benevolent I can be, when everyone does what I tell them to do. Now sit down."

It was time to get this meeting started. Jyuushiro looked around the room. "I would like this meeting to last no more than three minutes. I will allow it to last no more than five."


	51. Dawning Realizations

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Dawning Realizations**

As he and Gin left the Oval Office, Shunsui's mind circled back to that card and what it meant. How could he in good conscience leave Nanao behind if something happened? That felt like such a betrayal to leave her behind. Ever since the woman had hired herself as his assistant, Nanao had been right at his side no matter what the circumstances. How could he leave her behind in the most dire?

"You okay?" Gin asked.

"Yeah."

"Cause you look a little…you know-"

"No. No." Shunsui cut him off.

"Hiyori?" Gin's assistant had come up behind them.

Her mouth was full. "You know that doughnut sitting on your desk?"

Gin sighed. "You ate it."

Hiyori just shrugged. "That was predictable, wasn't it?"

As the three of them entered the Communications Bullpen, Gin leaned over to whisper to his assistant.

"Hey, is there any word yet on the-"

"The thing's still out there," she replied.

Gin turned back to Shunsui. "Had a guy on my office today. He'd like us to spend a little more time working on UFOs."

Shunsui followed Gin into his office. "Are we spending any time working on UFOs?"

"That's what I said."

"Cause coming on the heels of Mrs. Urahara's Ouija board-"

"I hear you."

"I'm closing the door." Shunsui closed the door and turned back to Gin who didn't seem to have heard him.

"The Central Pacific Command's been picking this thing up on radar all day."

"Gin?"

The other man looked up. "Right."

"Listen, you're close with Hiyori, right?"

"I haven't seen her naked, if that's what you're asking."

Shunsui shook his head. "No, Gin. Well, that's not what I'm asking. We all know Rangiku's the only girl for you."

"I mean, she's like my younger sister, but she gets paid, and-"

Shunsui cut him off. "Right."

"And she frightens me."

"Yes."

"But I love her."

"Yeah."

"It's sort of like you and Nanao."

"Right." Shunsui shook his head and asked the question that he'd come to ask. "When they gave you a card and they told you…that it was just you and not Hiyori, how did you…how'd you feel about that?"

"When they gave me what card?" Gin asked.

"The N.S.C. guy. The card with the directions."

"The directions to?" Gin was clearly puzzled.

"You, Rangiku, Toushiro. I'm saying when the N.S.C. guy gave you your cards."

There was a long pause. Gin was clearly baffled. It was like he had never gotten one of the cards. And then a terrible thought struck Shunsui. What if Gin hadn't? What if he was the only one with a card? He was leaving everyone behind if he followed those directions.

"Shunsui, what card?

Shunsui shook his head, rising to his feet. "Nothing…I-I-I was thinking of a different…nothing. Nothing."

He quickly slipped out the door, not wanting Gin to question him further. He didn't want to think about this at all.


	52. Nature Lover

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Nature Lover**

The thing about cheese appointments was you never really knew what to expect. Rangiku sat back in her chair, her eyes on the screen before her. The crew giving her the presentation (two men and a woman) didn't seem all that crazy, but she had learned not to judge a book by its cover when it came to these things.

The man who was the leader of the group smiled at her. "Rangiku, we'd like to tell you the story of Pluie."

"Who's Pluie?"

"I'm glad you asked." He clicked a remote control and a picture of a wolf appeared on the screen.

"That's Pluie," Rangiku raised an eyebrow.

"Yes."

"Pluie's a wolf?"

"Yes, she is."

"And you're going to tell me her story?" Rangiku forced herself to smile.

"Jiro?" The first man said.

The second man continued the presentation. "For four years, scientists have tracked Pluie as she made her way from Banff National Park in Alberta up and down the Rockies. In that time, she's made three round trips between Canada and Wyoming covering forty thousand square miles."

The first man smiled at Rangiku. "We think you'll admit it was a pretty impressive performance for Pluie especially when you consider the impediments of modern life she had to conquer: highways, housing, forest denuded of trees."

"Not to mention the US-Canadian border," the woman added.

Rangiku laughed. "Sure, because no photo I.D."

"I'm sorry?" The woman asked looking at her rather blankly.

"That was a joke."

The first man continued on. "Why does Pluie make the trek? Because wolves have to breed with many packs in order to keep from becoming extinct."

"Really?"

The man nodded. "If they breed among themselves, they'll eventually produce offspring that's genetically weaker, thus endangering their long-term survival."

Rangiku shrugged. "That helps explain Buckingham Palace."

Jiro smiled. "May we tell you what we propose?"

"Sure."

The next slide popped onto the screen. "The wolves-only roadway."

Rangiku blinked. "The wolves-only roadway?"

"Eighteen hundred miles from Yellowstone to the Yukon Territory complete with highway overpasses and no cattle grazing."

They couldn't be serious. "An eighteen hundred mile wolves-only roadway?"

"Pluie, you'll recall, had to-"

Rangiku cut the woman off. "Hang on. How are you going to teach wolves to follow road signs?"

Jiro shrugged. "Our scientists are working on a plan."

Rangiku raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, but in the meantime, Pluie's going to get drunk and wander off the wolves-only road and end up eating my cat."

Their leader scoffed, "We don't think that'll happen."

"I don't think this is going to happen." Rangiku gestured at the screen.

"Perhaps, if we should-"

"First of all, ranchers don't want wolves returned to the West," Rangiku said, cutting Jiro off.

"Ranchers are killers," one of the men said.

Rangiku shook her head. "No, they're not. And anyone who says it should take it back. Ranchers face the following conditions: falling stock prices, rising taxes, prolonged drought, and a country that's eating less beef. Ranchers want to blame something, and because they're ranchers, they want to fight something. I'd rather be a wolf than us, so unless Pluie registers to vote-"

The woman cut her off. "Pluie was shot and killed by a rancher in British Columbia last month."

The three presenters bowed their head.

Rangiku fidgeted uncomfortably. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"I'm not sure you are," the woman shot back.

Clearing her throat, Rangiku looked back at the screen. "Just out of curiosity, how much would it cost?"

"That's the beauty part." The first man grinned at him. "With contributions and corporate sponsorship, the cost of the taxpayer is only nine hundred million dollars."

She burst into laughter. "No, seriously, how much would it cost?"

Jiro spoke. "Rangiku, if we're going to do this, why not do it right?"

Rangiku shook her head. "We're not going to do it."

"Sure, there are other things we could spend the money on," the first man said.

"You think?"

"I'd like to hear what you think. What's a better way to spend this money?" The woman demanded.

"Nine hundred million dollars?" Rangiku asked.

"Another war plane, another S & L bailout?"

"How about we build the nine best schools in the world?"

Their leader tried to cut the tension. "Let's…let's move on to Bonnie."

A picture of a grizzly bear popped onto the screen. Rangiku sighed.


	53. Friendship

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Friendship**

Rangiku peered into Shunsui's office. The lights were out, and her knocks had gone unanswered.

"Shunsui? I was knocking but you didn't answer."

The man behind the desk shrugged. "I didn't hear the door."

Rangiku frowned. "What are you doing?"

"I think I'm ready to brief the President on the smallpox article."

"Why don't you forget about that for tonight, and come have some chili? Everyone's there."

Shunsui looked up to meet her eyes. His own were sad and solemn. "Rangiku, a N.S.C. staffer gave me a card with instructions on it for what I'm supposed to do in the event of a nuclear attack. They want me up in the plane or down on a bunker. They don't want you or Gin, or Toushiro, for that matter. I didn't want to be friends with you and have you not know."

She smiled softly at him; that was so like Shunsui. "Shunsui, have you been upset about this?"

He nodded, not meeting her eyes. "Yes."

"You're very sweet sometimes. You really are."

When he wasn't being an idiot. Of course Shunsui would worry over something like this. The circumstances would probably never happen, but he was too loyal to his friends not to think about it. But it didn't do him any good, and he needed to come out and join the party.

"Rangiku-"

She cut him off. "Of course, they don't want me, Shunsui. I'm a press secretary. I don't think they're going to be issuing a whole lot of releases. Gin and Toushiro are communications, and my guess is that speech writing won't be a priority either. Come, have some fun. Shunsui, the cold war is over. There's not going to be a nuclear-"

He cut her off. "God, Rangiku, it's not going to be like that. It's not going to be the red phone and nuclear bombs."

"What's it going to be?"

"It's going to be this. It's going to be something like this. Smallpox has been gone for fifty years. No one has an acquired immunity. Flies through the air. You get it, and you carry a ten foot cloud around with you. One in three people die. If a hundred people in New York City got it, you'd have to encircle them with a hundred million vaccinated people to contain it. Do you know how many doses of smallpox vaccines exist in the country? Seven. If a hundred people in New York City get it, there's going to be a global medical emergency that's going to make HIV look like cold and flu season. That's how it's going to be, a little test tube with a-a rubber cap that's deteriorating. A guy steps out of Times Square Station. Pshht. Smashes it on the sidewalk. There is a world war right there."

She shook her head and looked him straight in the eye. "We'll make more vaccine."

Rangiku headed out the door.

"You better hurry 'cause I'm the only one with one of these cards."

"Come have chili. The President's asking for you."

Shunsui nodded. "Yeah, I'll be right there in a minute."

"You really are very sweet sometimes."

Too sweet for his own good, worrying about future events that would probably never happen. He had better come to the party so Nanao could knock some sense into him. She could pull him out a funk like this better than anyone.


	54. An Introduction

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**An Introduction**

Shunsui peered into the kitchen of the White House's residence and grinned when he recognized Rukia Kuchiki inside. She was clearly working on the chili, and Shunsui decided to sneak up on her.

"Drop the spoon!"

Rukia just laughed and turned to grin at him. "I knew it was you."

"You look good!"

"And, you look like death in a triscuit." She was sarcastic as ever, one of the reasons she fit in so well with the senior staff.

"Oh, thanks very much. I'm seeing a new barber."

Rukia shook her head. "I heard you've been having a little nutty today."

Shunsui hadn't thought his worrying was that obvious. Time to change the subject. "Mind your own business. What classes are you taking?"

"Mind your own business," Rukia shot back.

"Okay."

Ichigo peered into the kitchen. "Excuse me."

Shunsui grinned at the young man. "Ichigo, have you met Rukia Kuchiki?"

"No, it's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am. I'm Ichigo Kurosaki."

Rukia smiled brightly. "Hi."

Shunsui just laughed. "Okay, hang on a second. Let's take it back a moment and give it another chance. This is a girl, Ichigo. You don't have to call her 'ma'am.'"

Ichigo blinked. "I beg your pardon. Did I call you-"

Rukia cut him off. "Rukia."

"I should call you Rukia?"

"If I can call you Ichigo." She smiled at him.

"Yes." Ichigo fidgeted slightly. "Um, I have a message for you from the President."

"That would be her uncle," Shunsui commented; he liked how well the two were hitting it off.

"You're forbidden from adding additional cumin to the chili."

Rukia just grinned at him. "Ichigo, check the door to see if my uncle's nearby?"

"Ma'am, I-"

"Ah, ah, ah." Shunsui cut him off and peered out the door.

"Rukia, I have certain instructions, and I don't want to get in trouble-"

"You're fine," Shunsui cut him off again.

"Taste this." Rukia held out a spoon to Ichigo. "Doesn't it need cumin?"

Ichigo took a taste and frowned. "It needs oregano."

"Well, let's get to work."

Shunsui grinned at the two who were now absorbed in each other and the cooking.

"See, you guys."

They would be fine on their own.


	55. These Women

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**These Women**

Rangiku had already rejoined the party by the time Shunsui got their. She was deep in discussion about wolves of all things with a group of staffers, including Nanao.

"Wolves don't kill people. That's a myth."

"Where along the way did she turn into a wolf person?" Toushiro asked.

"More people get killed getting change out of vending machines than get killed by a wolf attack."

Mashiro blinked. "Are you serious?"

Rangiku nodded. "Number of people killed last year retrieving change from a vending machine: four. Number of people killed by a wolf attack: zero."

"How do people die from vending machines?" Nanao wanted to know; her tone indicated that she didn't think there were people that stupid.

Rangiku just shrugged. "I don't know. I mean maybe the vending machines fall on them while they're getting their change."

Both Urahara and Jyuushiro were laughing at that.

"My point is," Rangiku continued, "can't we build schools and protect wildlife at the same time? We must be able to do that."

Jyuu grinned at her. "Pluie really got to you, huh?"

Rangiku nodded. "She really was very sweet, Jyuushiro."

Shunsui slipped into the group as Rangiku dragged Nanao off, probably to grill her about that date she'd set his assistant up on. Shunsui really needed to have a word with the press secretary about that.

"Shunsui!" The president smiled at him. "We've been looking for you. Look at this, will you?"

"At what sir?"

Grinning, Urahara gestured to the various members of the staff at the party. "I don't know why, but nothing makes me feel quite so good as the sight of colleagues, enjoying each other outside work."

"So, what were you guys talking about? Besides, wolves that is."

Urahara grinned. "We were talking about these women."

Shunsui raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

Jyuushiro just smiled. "We can't get over these women."

"Look at Rangiku," The president pointed to the woman who was currently laughing and talking to Gin and Nanao, while holding a Polaroid picture. "She's like a fifties movie star, so capable, so loving and energetic."

"Look at Kukaku over there." Jyuushiro pointed out their media consultant who was still arguing with Toushiro; they two of them had been at it all day. "Going punch for punch with Toushiro in a world that tells women to sit down and shut up. Kukaku's already won her battle with the President. The game's over, but she's not done. She wants Toushiro."

"Ms. Tsumugiya." The president smiled in the direction of his secretary. "Did you guys know she lost both of her brothers during their military service? What would make her want to serve her country is beyond me, but in the past five years, she's not missed a day's work, not one. There's Mashiro, Nanao, and Kiyone. All them dedicated, smart, and funny, even when everything around them is chaos."

Shunsui knew what he needed to do about the damn card as he looked around the room. "Mr. President, there's something that's been bothering me for most of the day, and while I know that this is an inappropriate time-"

Jyuu cut him off. "No, what's on your mind, Shunsui?"

He sighed and pulled out the card he'd been given that morning. "I serve at the pleasure of the President, and it's a great privilege that I will never forget. I can't keep this. I think it's a white flag of surrender. I want to be a comfort to my friends in tragedy, and I want to be able to celebrate with them in triumph. And for all the times in between, I just want to be able to look them in the eye. Jyuushiro, it's not for me. I want to be with my friends, my family, and these women."

Jyuu took the card, and Urahara clapped him on the back. Shunsui felt like he'd passed some sort of test. He spotted Ichigo and Rukia slipping into the room together, laughing at something. Ichigo waved to the president, and Shunsui guessed that meant it was time for the chili.

"Uh, excuse me! Thank you. Uh, friends, please." It took a moment for the President to get everyone's attention. "Well, chili's ready and I hope you all enjoy it. In fact, since I told you would enjoy it, I'm reasonably certain that you will."

There was laughter all around the room. Shunsui grinned as Urahara kept talking.

"You know, of course, the first lady's in Pakistan. I'm not entirely sure why, but I have learned it's a pretty good idea not to ask my wife too many questions as it seldom leads to anything but further confusion. I miss her very much, but I'm delighted our beautiful niece, Rukia is here. You know, she's starting Georgetown in the spring."

There was applause around the room for Rukia. The staff was genuinely proud of her, and she had been something of a mascot for them back during the campaign.

Urahara grinned at his niece. "This prior to medical school and a life of celibacy."

Shunsui snorted. "Yeah, right!"

Rukia just rolled her eyes at her uncle.

"It's an incredible adventure you're starting on, sweetheart. An amazing four years full of people and experiences you haven't yet dreamed of. And if you will allow me just one minute of business, please. I hope that by the time we're done with our four years here, we'll have seen to it that every young person who chooses can go to college and beyond, regardless of their economic status."

There was more applause. Shunsui leaned against the wall. Nanao appeared at his side and promptly stole the bottle of beer he'd managed to snag. The president was still going.

"I understand that today was another one of Jyuushiro's 'big block of cheese' days! You all start out so cynical, but it never fails. By the end of the day, there's always one or two converts, right? And today was no exception. Rangiku is going to be up all night writing a position paper for the interior department on the necessity of wildlife protection. Rangiku, I don't mind the cost of this wolves-only highway. It's the segregation. The ACLU is going to file a petition on behalf of some reindeer and then we're all screwed."

The laughter echoed around the room at that. Urahara kept going.

"Gin had a guy who spotted a UFO today, am I right? Gin laughed him out of his office, but you've been thinking about it ever since. But you can rest assured, Gin. It was not a spaceship from another planet, just another time. A long since abandoned Soviet satellite, one of its booster rockets didn't fire and it couldn't escape the earth's orbit. A sad reminder of a time when two powerful nations challenged each other and then boldly raced into outer space. What will be the next thing that challenges us, Toushiro? That makes us work harder and go farther? You know, when smallpox was eradicated, it was considered the single greatest humanitarian achievement of this century. Surely, we can do it again. As we did in the time when our eyes looked towards the heavens, and with outstretched fingers, we touched the face of God. Here's to absent friends, and the ones that are here now."

The rest of the staff joined the president in raising their glasses, beer bottles, or whatever they had in a toast. Shunsui grinned at Nanao and stole his beer back. This was most definitely where he wanted to be, whatever happened.


	56. Poker Night

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Poker Night**

The group around the table set up in Jyuushiro's office watched closely as Rangiku dealt the cards.

"Nine, no help. Jack, no help. Eight, possible flush. King, possible flush. Ace, no help. Six, possible straight. Dave of love for the dealer. Ace bets."

Kukaku wrinkled her nose. "Check."

"Check," Gin said.

Rangiku nodded. "Check."

Jyuushiro shot a glance at his friend. "Check."

Shunsui just shrugged. "Check."

Toushiro paused a moment before speaking. "Check."

There was a long silence, and everyone looked at Urahara.

"Mr. President?" Rangiku prompted.

The president did not look up from his cards. "There is one fruit."

Everyone else groaned.

Toushiro rolled his eyes. "Oh please."

The president was unphazed. "There is one fruit-"

Toushiro cut him off. "Mr. President, check or bet sir. Those are your choices."

"There is one fruit-"

Shunsui sighed, "Or you should feel free to give us a quiz on inane trivia."

"There is one fruit whose seeds are on the outside. Name it please."

"Is it the kumquat?" Rangiku asked brightly.

"No."

Laughter echoed around the table, and Toushiro rolled his eyes again.

"Check or bet, sir?"

Urahara nodded. "I bet five."

"Call."

Gin agreed with Kukaku. "See it."

Sighing, Rangiku set down her cards. "Fold."

"See it," was the chief of staff's response.

Shunsui peered at his own cards. "Call."

Toushiro shot Urahara a look. "I see it. And I raise you five."

"Mr. President?" Rangiku asked when Urahara didn't respond.

"It's the strawberry."

There were nods around the table. Toushiro clearly was not interested.

"Well, thank you, sir. I just raised your bet."

Urahara nodded at him. "Yes, you did Toushiro, and I thought it was a bold move when you consider that Jyuushiro's holding the six you're looking for."

"Do you call the raise, sir?"

"That depends."

"Depends on what?" Shunsui sounded suspicious.

Urahara just smiled at them. "There are fourteen punctuation marks in Standard English grammar. Can anyone name them please?"

Rangiku wrinkled her nose. "Period."

"Comma," Shunsui offered.

Kukaku shrugged. "Colon."

Gin's contribution was "Semi-colon."

"Dash," Shunsui added.

"Hyphen," Gin countered.

Jyuushiro was checking his watch. "Ah, apostrophe."

The president just smiled. "That's only seven. There are seven more."

Toushiro rolled his eyes at them all. "Question mark, exclamation point, quotation marks, brackets, parentheses, braces, and ellipsis."

Rangiku whistled.

Shunsui shook his head. "Impressive."

"Do you call the raise, sir?" Toushiro demanded.

The president glanced down at his cards. "There are three words, and three words only in the English language that begin with the letters 'dw'."

"This is a pretty good illustration of why we get nothing done," Shunsui commented prompting laughter from most of those present.

"Can anyone name them for me please?" Urahara asked.

Gin was frowning slightly. "Three words that begin with 'dw'?"

Urahara nodded. "Yes."

"Dwindle," Gin said.

"Yes."

"Dwarf," Toushiro offered.

"Yes." The president smiled.

Toushiro turned to Gin. "We've got dwindle, and we've got dwarf."

Urahara reached for his chips. "I see you five and raise you five by the way."

Toushiro was frowning. "Dwarf…dwindle…"

Jyuushiro sighed. "Fold."

Shunsui tossed down his own cards. "Fold."

Rangiku glanced around the table. "Last card down."

Urahara glanced down at his cards again. "'Witches brew a magic spell, in an enchanted forest where fairies-"

"Dwell! Dwell, dwell! Dwindle, dwarf and dwell!" Toushiro burst out.

Well, the answer's correct but let's check with our judges and," Urahara glanced at his watch. "Oh no, I'm sorry, time's expired."

"What? What time?" Toushiro demanded.

The president just smiled. "My time."

Shunsui blinked. "You have your own time?"

Toushiro rolled his eyes once again. "I call."

The president smiled and laid out his cards. "Triple nines."

People made impressed sounds.

Toushiro just sighed. "Take your money, sir. You'd do well to report that to the I.R.S. since report you as I will."

Jyuushiro rose from his chair. "All right. I'm done. I'm going to head home."

The president grinned as he pocketed the money. "Kiss Retsu for me."

"Yeah, I will."

That seemed to be the cue for everyone to start packing up for the night.

Shunsui rose to his feet. "Gin, I'm going back to the office, they've got the commerce report ready for me. What are you doing?"

Gin shrugged. "I was going to go home."

Shunsui stretched and gave Gin a look. "Gin, I'm going back to the office, they've got the commerce report ready for me. What are you doing?"

Gin sighed. "I'm going to go back to your office with you and make sure you understand the commerce report."

Shunsui grinned. "Thank you."

Gin just gave him a look. "When I get through with you you're going to know every thing there is to know about standard data versus sampling data in the census."

Urahara and Jyuushiro headed out through the exit that led to the Oval Office. Urahara paused by the couch where Ichigo was sitting.

"Ichigo, I'm headed over to the residence. You're done for the night."

Ichigo nodded. "Thank you, sir. I'm going to stay a bit to do some paperwork."

Urahara smiled. "Don't stay up too late, son."

Rangiku peered over Kukaku's shoulder. "How'd you do?"

The other woman grinned. "Eighty-four bucks."

Rangiku sighed; luck had not been with her tonight. "Most of that's mine."

A door slammed somewhere down the hall, making Kukaku jump.

"What's that?"

The room quickly filled with several Secret Service agents. Some of them were herding people who had just left back into the room.

"Excuse me, Mr. President," one of the men said. "I'm sorry the building's not secure. Would everyone stay in the room please?"

Shunsui sighed. "This is happening way too often.

Jyuushiro shrugged. "It's pledge week at the fraternities. The kids hop the fence."

The agents took up positions at the entrances of the room. One of them waved at the group.

"Would you mind stepping away from the doors and windows please?"

Shunsui moved closer to the center of the room. "This whole room is doors and windows."

His friend gave him a look. "Shunsui."

"I'm cooperating. I'm cooperating."

The agent wore a look of concentration as he listened to his ear piece. "This will be under control in just a minute, Mr. President."

"All right." An amused look crossed Urahara's face. He turned to the group. "What body of water in South America is formed by the confluence-?"

Toushiro cut him off. "Excuse me, Wink Martindale? Do you really think this is the time?"

Urahara just smirked at him. "Not quite up on your South American geography, are you my friend?"

The agent nodded. "We're clear."

"Saved by the bell." The president nodded at them all before heading out once again.

Kukaku just shook her head. "This is exactly the kind of thing that didn't used to happen at my old job."


	57. Having a Bad Night

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Having a Bad Night**

Shunsui had a feeling that this was going to be a bad night. He was currently gathered around a table with Rangiku, Gin, Rukia, Ichigo and Yachiru at a rather crowded bar. This afternoon the president had basically ordered Shunsui to talk Ichigo out for drinks and to make sure that the young man had a good time. Shunsui had of course invited Gin and Jyuu, though Jyuushiro had backed out claiming he was going to the ballet with Retsu. Somehow, Rukia and Yachiru (the daughter of Kenpachi Zaraki who was the head of the President's Secret Service detail) had found out and weaseled their way into coming along. Once they had done that, Rangiku insisted on going along to keep an eye on them. Unfortunately, Shunsui hadn't been able to convince Nanao to join them. So here they were, and Shunsui wasn't quite sure that the night was going to be a success.

For one thing, Ichigo couldn't seem to relax. For another, Rukia and Yachiru were enjoying torturing Gin. A waitress came by with a tray of the drinks they'd ordered, and Rangiku frowned as the woman left.

"She didn't bring my grasshopper."

Shunsui blinked. "She didn't?"

Rangiku shook her head. "No."

He just shrugged. "Maybe she just felt really stupid ordering it."

She made a face at him. "The grasshopper is a perfectly respectable-"

Rukia stood up and cut Rangiku off. "I'll get it."

Letting the president's underage niece get a drink seemed like a bad idea to everyone.

Rangiku shook her head. "I'll get it."

"I want to see them make it." Rukia grinned and shoved several things into Shunsui's hands. "Could you hold these?"

Shunsui blinked again. "What?"

"Just lipstick and stuff. My panic button. Ruins the line of my outfit."

He wasn't going to be able to talk her out of this. Shunsui nodded. "Got it."

Rukia grinned at Rangiku. "It's called a grasshopper?"

The older woman nodded. "Straight up."

"Make sure they make it extra thick and green," Shunsui teased.

Rukia headed over to the bar. Ichigo peered at the pager that Shunsui was holding.

"What is a panic button?"

Yachiru laughed. "Oh, you don't want to know. I've seen it in action."

"The President is a very protective father." Rangiku grinned at the young man.

"So, you having a good time tonight?" Shunsui asked Ichigo.

He shrugged. "Yeah. I appreciate it."

Shunsui frowned. "Seems like you're not really having a good time."

Rangiku shot him a look. "He's having a good time!"

"Well-"

"Do you think they know I don't go to college?" Ichigo suddenly asked.

Yachiru blinked at him. "Who?"

The young man gestured around the room. "All these people."

Rangiku scoffed. "Ichigo, you're twice as smart as anyone in the room."

"Yeah, but I don't go to college."

"Relax!" Shunsui instructed.

"See, you keep telling him to relax with this sense of urgency-" Rangiku shook her head it him.

"I just want to make sure he's having a good time tonight."

"He's having a good time!" She shoved his shoulder. "You relax!"

"I'm not being urgent. I wouldn't say that there was urgency in my voice. I was simply asking if he was having a good time, and suggesting that if he relaxed-"

"Well, maybe if you stopped pestering him like you were his great aunt-"

They were interrupted by Ichigo standing up and heading for the bar. "Excuse me one second."

Shunsui watched as he came up to Rukia who was nearly surrounded by a bunch of frat boys.

"Is everything all right, Rukia?"

One of the frat boys frowned. "Hey. He just called her Rukia."

Ichigo met Rukia's eyes. "Come on, let's go back to the table."

The guy moved in front of Ichigo. "Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. What's up, Shinji?"

"Rukia?"

Shunsui frowned as she tried to move closer to Ichigo, and another of the frat boys blocked her. Their leader was still in Ichigo's face.

"Excuse me. Excuse me. We're just trying to buy the girl a drink, man."

"She's nineteen years old, man. You'd have to take her to Maryland." Ichigo clearly wasn't backing down."

One of the group snickered. "Check out super fly."

Rukia frowned. "Hey!"

Ichigo smiled at her. "Let's go."

The group's leader clearly didn't like this idea. "No. Why don't you go? Alright?"

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Look guys. You don't know who this is. You don't want any trouble. Just be cool alright?"

"Be cool."

Shunsui kept one eye on the confrontation at the bar while he argued with Rangiku. "Why must you mock a perfectly natural brotherly instinct?"

"I'm not mocking it Shunsui. I'm saying maybe if you left the young man alone-"

Gin got up and headed towards the bar. Shunsui frowned. Rangiku glanced over towards the confrontation. This wasn't going to end well.

"Shunsui?"

He sighed and got to his feet, grabbing the panic button. "I know. You and Yachiru stay here."

He was close enough to hear Gin enter the conversation going on.

"Hey! What the hell is going on around here?"

"Who the hell are you?" The frat boy snarled at him.

Gin just sneered. "Kiss my ass. Rukia?"

"I'm fine." She had somehow ended up tucked up next Ichigo.

"Kiss your what, fairy poppins?"

Gin was ignoring the frat boy; Shunsui wasn't sure that was a good mood.

"Ichigo?"

The young man nodded. "Everything's fine."

The frat boy was spoiling for a fight. "Hey, you want to go?"

Gin actually blinked at him. "What?"

"You want to go? Let's do it. Right now. Come on."

Shunsui decided that it was time to end this. He came up behind Ichigo with a smile. "How's everybody doing?"

"Oh good, more fairy boys." The frat boy rolled his eyes.

Shunsui raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"I said, more fairy boys."

He just chuckled. "Oh, this is too good to be true."

Completely ignoring his orders, Yachiru and Rangiku joined the group.

One of frat boy's friends seemed to be getting a clue and was frowning at Shunsui.

"Hey, I recognize this guy," he waved at Rukia, "and she looks familiar too."

Shunsui just nodded, pressing down on the panic button. "Yeah. You guys don't realize it, but you're having a pretty bad night."

The leader sneered at him. "Oh really, and who's going to give it to us, huh?"

Shunsui just grinned as the Secret Service burst in through the door.

"Federal Agents!"

Both he and Gin waved to the agents and pointed out the frat boys.

"Right here!"

One of the agents ushered Rukia out while the others dealt with the frat boys. The leader of the group didn't seem to get how serious things were even when an agent snarled at him.

"Shut up! I swear to God I'll blow your head off. Everybody stand back."

The leader of the frat boys tried to take a swing at Ichigo. "Hey, I ain't done with you, Shinji."

Ichigo just shrugged. "My name is Ichigo Kurosaki, jackass. And if that bulge in your pocket's an 8-ball, you'll blow your splendid Spring Break in a federal prison."

As the agents escorted the frat boys out of the bar, Ichigo grinned at Shunsui. "Now I'm having a good time."

Shunsui smiled and tossed the panic button up in the air before catching it. "Well, my work here is done."

Perhaps it wasn't such a bad night after all.


	58. In Prison

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**In Prison**

Shunsui was desperately trying to stay awake. It was one thirty in the morning, and he was still stuck in the Oval Office. This had to be punishment letting Rukia come to the bar with Gin, Ichigo, and himself. The president was still talking.

"Yellowstone, established by an act signed by Ulysses S. Grant was the nation's first national park. Created on March first eighteen seventy two."

He stood from his chair. "It's getting late, sir. I was wondering, are we through for the evening?"

Urahara smiled at him. "Well, we're through with work, Shunsui, but this part's fun."

"What part, sir?"

"The part where I get you to sit down, and teach you a little something."

"Ah," Shunsui sat back down.

"Yeah."

"You're not tired, sir?"

"No."

"Perhaps, if you get into bed and-"

"I'm a national park buff, Shunsui."

Shunsui blinked. "I'm sorry, sir?"

The president was still smiling. "I said I'm a National Park buff. I bet you didn't know that about me."

"Well, I didn't know that about you, sir, but I'm certainly not surprised."

"Why is that?"

Shunsui bit his lip; he really shouldn't have said that. Or what he was going to say next. "You're quite a nerd, Mr. President."

"Really?" Urahara arched an eyebrow at him.

"Yes, sir."

"I assume that was said with all due respect."

"Yes, sir."

The president shifted to a chair closer to Shunsui. "Is it nerd-like to know that Everglades National Park is the largest remaining subtropical wilderness in the continental United States and has extensive mangrove forests?"

Shunsui nodded. "Just a little bit. Yes, sir."

"There are fifty-four national parks in the country, Shunsui."

"Please tell me you haven't been to all of them."

"I have been to all of them. I should show you my slide collection."

"Oh, would you?" This had to be punishment for the incident at the bar; Shunsui couldn't think of anything else that he had ever done that would merit this. Even a lecture from Nanao was preferable.

Urahara was counting the parks on his fingers. "Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Badlands, Capitol Reef, Acadia, which is so often overlooked-"

"You should certainly feel free to keep talking, but I need to go home so I could be back in my office in four hours," Shunsui muttered.

"Dry Tortugas-"

"See, the thing is, I can't leave without your permission." And Shunsui really wanted to go home. Sleep was his friend.

"Petrified Forests, North Cascades, Joshua Tree, Shenandoah National Park, right herein Virginia!" Urahara slapped the arm of his chair. "We should organize a staff field trip to Shenandoah. What do you think?"

"Good a place as any to dump your body." Shunsui's eyes widened with horror as soon as the words were out of his mouth.

"What was that?"

"Did I say that out loud?"

"See, and I was going to let you go home."

"But instead?"

The president smirked at him. "We're going to talk about Yosemite."

Shunsui groaned. He was so in prison. He only hoped Nanao saved him in time for breakfast.


	59. Pratice Makes Perfect

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Practice Makes Perfect**

The senior staff had gathered in the press room to do a dry run through of the State of the Union address. It was as much to figure out the bugs with the teleprompter as to see how the president felt about the speech.

"With nearly eighteen million new jobs, wages rising at more than twice the rate of inflation, the highest home ownership in history, the smallest welfare rolls in thirty years and the lowest peacetime unemployment since nineteen fifty-seven." Urahara paused. "I stand before you to report that America has created the longest peacetime economic expansion in our history. For the first time in three decades, the budget is balanced. From a deficit of two hundred ninety million dollars just ten years ago-"

"Billion dollars," Toushiro corrected from his seat in the audience.

Urahara blinked. "What?"

"Two hundred ninety billion."

"What'd I say?"

"You said million, but let's move on."

"I said million?  
"Yep."

Urahara shrugged and cleared his throat. "From a deficit of two hundred ninety billion dollars, just ten...it says 'million' on the teleprompter, by the way."

Toushiro frowned at his deputy who was running the teleprompter with the help of Mashiro and Hiyori. "Gin?"

"Our fault." Gin looked up from the screen.

The president nodded. "Let's take it back."

Shunsui frowned as the president coughed. The man was sweating, and he didn't look very good. But he kept talking.

"Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of the 106th congress, distinguished guests..."

"He doesn't look so good."

Rangiku shifted in the seat beside him. "Yeah."

"He's pale and he's sweating."

"I know."

"You think he's getting sick?"

The press secretary shot him a look. "I don't know."

"Are his glands swollen?"

Rangiku rolled her eyes at him. "Damn."

Shunsui glance at her. "What?"

"You know what I forgot to do today?"

"What?"

"I forgot to feel the President's glands."

It was Shunsui's turn to roll his eyes. "Do you think the joke reflex you use as a defense mechanism is why you have so much trouble keeping a man?"

Rangiku glared at him. "You know-"

Shunsui cut her off before she could start a tirade. "I'm saying, we're forty-four hours away from the State of the Union, and he doesn't look so good."

Urahara was still reading off the teleprompter. "…and how do we make the American dream of opportunity a reality for all? I came to this hallowed chamber one year ago, and I see we're spelling 'hallowed' with a pound sign in the middle of it."

Gin shrugged. "We'll fix that."

"The pound sign's silent?"

Jyuu rolled his eyes. "Move on, Mr. President."

"I came to this hallowed chamber one year ago on a mission: to restore the American dream for all our people, as we gaze at the vast horizon of possibilities open to us in the 321st century. Wow, that was ambitious of me, wasn't it?"

Jyuushiro sighed. "Let's take a break."

"We meant 'stronger' here, right?" Urahara asked.

Gin frowned. "What's it say?"

"I'm proud to report our country's stranger than it was a year ago?"

"That's a typo."

The President shrugged. "Could go either way."

Toushiro sighed and got to his feet. "Gin?"

"Taking care of it."

Shunsui and Rangiku joined Urahara, Jyuushiro, and Toushiro as they headed toward the Oval Office.

"Mr. President?" Shunsui asked.

"Yes, sir."

"How do you feel?"

"Why is everyone asking me that today?"

Shunsui sighed. "But you don't look so good."

"I'm fine."

"You're pale and you're perspiring."

"I'm fine."

Rangiku gave it a try. "You should be taking something, sir."

"I'm taking many things, Rangiku."

She frowned at him. "What are you taking?"

Urahara shrugged. "I don't know. My wife hands me pills. I swallow them with water."

Gin had rejoined them. "Sir?"

"Vitamin C. Vitamin B. Is it possible I'm taking something called 'euthanasia'?"

"Echinacea?" Gin suggested.

"Ah, that sounds more like it. Toushiro?"

"Yes, sir."

"Mr. President," Rangiku protested.

"I'm taking pills, Rangiku."

"Are you actually taking them, or are you just carrying them around in your pocket?" She asked.

"You know, carrying them around in my pocket was a pretty big step for me."

Rangiku sighed. "You got to take the pills."

Urahara ignored her. "Toushiro?"

"Yeah?"

"'How do we make the American dream a reality for all who work for it.'"

Toushiro rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on."

"You got to add 'who work for it.'"

"Sir?"

"That was me," Shunsui said, feeling a debate coming on.

"We've decided this two weeks ago," Toushiro clearly wasn't interested in discussing it again.

"We've seen some pretty compelling polling samples. We need 'people who work for it', and I'll tell you what else." Shunsui didn't like it, but it was true.

"What?" Toushiro clearly wasn't pleased; then again, he never liked people mucking with speeches he had written.

"'The era of big government is over,'" Shunsui quoted.

Toushiro stopped walking. "Oh? When did this happen?"

"This morning, we had a meeting."

"We decided to offend poor people?"

Shunsui rolled his eyes. "The people we're offending won't be watching the State of the Union."

"Yes, I can't imagine why not," Toushiro snarked back.

"It's what they're listening for in welfare reforms, so screw it," Urahara commented.

"Alright, but when you get visited in the middle of the night by the ghost of Christmas future, don't come running to me." Toushiro gave in to the change without much grace.

"Damn, Toushiro, 'cause you're exactly who I was going to come running to." Urahara rolled his eyes.

Toushiro frowned at him. "You don't look so good."

"Well, I'm gazing in the 321st century, man. There's a lot on my mind."

Jyuushiro sighed and waved the group into his office. "Let's finish up in here."

"Mr. President?" Rangiku gave the man a stern look.

The president threw up his hands. "Oh, dear God. I will take the pills, Rangiku."

"Will you take them now?" She asked.

"Yes. I will go to the Oval Office, and pour a glass of water from the Steuben glass pitcher, which was a gift from the Christian Charity Network there, Skippy."

Toushiro arched an eyebrow at that comment which appeared to be directed at him. "Mr. President?"

"I'm just saying, before you start calling me, Ebenezer Urahara, remember, I got a really nice glass pitcher for just, you know, being a good guy."

"Well, you turned me right around on that one, Mr. President."

"Sir?" Rangiku was tapping her foot.

Urahara pulled a little plastic bag of pills out his pocket and waved it at her. "I will take the pills."

As he went into the Oval Office, the senior staff settled themselves around Jyuushiro office.

Gin smiled brightly at them. "You know, here's the thing."

Jyuu looked up from his desk. "Hmm?"

"We haven't been invited yet."

Toushiro blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Technically, the Speaker of the House invites the President to deliver the State of the Union."

"And we haven't been invited yet?"

Gin shrugged. "Not yet."

"Is somebody seeing to this?" Jyuu asked.

Gin nodded. "I'll take care of it."

Toushiro leaned back in his seat. "Good, because you know, we want to be able to report that the country's a lot stranger than it was a year ago."

Gin sighed. "I'll never be able to live it down."

Jyuushiro just grinned. "No."

They were laughing at Gin's misfortune until the sound of breaking glass in the next room caught their attention. Shunsui shared a concerned look with Jyuu before they rushed into the Oval Office. The president was laying face down unconscious in his carpet beside a broken pitcher. One of the secret service agents was checking the president's pulse while talking into his earpiece. "Liberty's down. We're in the Oval."

"Get a doctor," Rangiku demanded.


	60. Picking a Guy

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Picking a Guy**

Shunsui leaned against his desk, talking into the phone. "I don't think it's being sorted in the mailroom. It's an invitation to the President to address Congress. I'm assuming it was hand-delivered. Thank you."

Nanao knocked at the door as he hung up the phone.

"Yes?"

His assistant smiled. "Kiyone came by."

Shunsui nodded. "Yes."

He headed out into the bullpen, and Nanao followed.

"She said Jyuushiro said to remind you that you need to pick a guy."

"Right."

"She said you'd know what that means."

"Yeah."

Nanao gave him a look. "Do you know what that means?"

Shunsui nodded. "Yes."

"I don't know what that means." From her tone Shunsui could tell that she did not like being left out of the loop.

"Someone from the line of succession is required to be absent from the State of the Union."

Nanao nodded. "So if somebody blows up the building, nobody's-"

"Yes," Shunsui cut her off. He didn't exactly want to give her an opportunity to nag him about the paperwork on his desk that he still hadn't dealt with yet.

"Who are you going to pick?" She asked.

He shrugged. "Who do you think I should pick?"

She looked straight at him and said. "I think you should pick me."

Shunsui blinked. Had his assistant really just said that? "You think so?"

"Yes, I would be a good choice. At least then things might get done around here."

He smiled; he wasn't sure why Nanao felt the need to tease him, but he didn't mind. "And where exactly do you fall in the line of succession?"

Nanao shrugged. "If somebody blows up the Capitol Building, I'd imagine I'd move up a few slots."

"Fair point."

"So who's it going to be?

He shook his head. "Rojuro Otoribashi."

It was her turn to blink. "The Secretary of Agriculture? Rojuro Otoribashi."

Shunsui nodded. "Yes."

She wrinkled her nose in that adorable way of hers. "I don't know why you're picking the Secretary of Agriculture."

"Because the Secretaries of Defense, State, and Treasury are famous faces, and we want the camera to find them."

Nanao sighed. "So, if the Capitol Building blows up-"

"Yes."

"The man my country will be looking to is the Secretary of Agriculture."

"It's my country too."

Nanao rolled her eyes. "Yes, but you'll be dead."

Shunsui smiled. "Which is why I really don't care that much."

She punched him the shoulder. "Shunsui."

He smiled at her. "Nanao, I really don't anticipate the Capitol Building exploding."

His pretty assistant arched an eyebrow at him. "What percentage of things exploding has been anticipated?"

He sighed, "Now you're bringing me down."

"I would think so." And with that Nanao flounced off.

But Shunsui was smiling now.


	61. Dealing With Idiots

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Dealing With Idiots**

The worst part of the State of the Union was having to appease people with it. Toushiro wouldn't mind so much if it was just the senior staff who got to offer their opinions on the speech, but the congressmen were the worst. Especially when he was stuck dealing with Barragan Luisenbarn and his cronies. He really wanted this meeting to be over with.

"Toushiro, I'm concerned that the speech contains a number of positions that democrats and Congress aren't quite on board with yet."

"They're free to write they're own speech," Toushiro suggested.

Luisenbarn sighed. "I understand, but they are the ones who are going to have to run against us a year from now."

Toushiro wanted this over with. "What are your concerns?"

A crony spoke. "We feel, even in this draft-"

"And, you've made some progress," interjected Luisenbarn.

"Yes, but even in this draft, there's too much emphasis placed on the role of federal

government."

Toushiro rolled his eyes. "I've pared down-"

"We know."

"This is an opportunity for a pep rally. This is an opportunity to trumpet government. Why do we want to pretend to be sorry for intruding?" Toushiro said.

"Because that's what people want to hear," Luisenbarn said.

Toushiro sighed. "So I've been told."

"Toushiro?"

"Why don't' you pick your section of the speech. Fight with me about it, and I'll lose, and then I can call in the next group." This was exactly what he hated about the State of the Union.

"You understand-"

Toushiro cut Luisenbarn off. "Pick a section. There's a line waiting outside. I've got 31 hours to-to write this."

"We don't-" Luisenbarn started.

"Federal funding for the arts," one of the man's cronies blurted out.

"The N.E.A.?" Toushiro sighed and reached for the part of the speech that dealt with that. "Let us open our hymnals to page twenty-two."

Fifteen minutes later, they hadn't made much progress.

"Now, the President's proposing in his speech that the budget by the N.E.A. be increased by fifty percent?" Luisenbarn asked.

Toushiro gave him a look. "The National Endowment amounts to less than one hundredth of one percent of the total budget for the federal government. It costs taxpayers thirty-nine cents a year. The arts budget for the U.S. is equivalent to the arts budget of Sweden."

The congressman sighed. "Well, once again, all we'd like is for you to not mention the N.E.A."

The second of his cronies piped up. "Personally, I don't know what to say to people who argue that the N.E.A. is there to support art that nobody wants to pay for in the first place. I don't know what to tell people when they say Rogers and Hart didn't need the N.E.A. to write Oklahoma, and Arthur Murray didn't need the N.E.A. to write Death of a Salesman."

Toushiro sighed deeply. The man was an idiot.

"I'd start by telling them that Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote Oklahoma, and Arthur Murray taught ballroom dance, and Arthur Miller did need the N.E.A. to write Death of a Salesman, but it wasn't called the N.E.A. back then. It was called W.P.A. and it was Roosevelt's…" Toushiro trailed off as an idea occurred to him. "It was Roosevelt's…"

"Toushiro?"

"Yeah?" He needed to talk the president. They needed to change the speech.

"You stopped talking in the middle of a-"

Toushiro cut him off with a smile as he stood up from the table. "Thank you everybody. This meeting is over."

Then he walked out the room. He needed to have a conversation with the president.


	62. Changing the Speech

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Changing the Speech**

Ichigo opened the door and peered into the bedroom. "Mr. President?"

Urahara looked up from the newspaper he was reading. "Yes, Ichigo?"

"Toushiro's here."

Urahara set the paper down on the bed. "Toushiro, come in please."

Toushiro edged into the room. "How you feeling, Mr. President?"

"Much better. Thank you."

"Good."

Urahara smiled. "You know, I was watching a television program before with a sort of a roving moderator who spoke to a seated panel of young women who are having some sort of problems with their boyfriends. Apparently, because the boyfriends have all slept with the girlfriend's mothers. Then they brought all the boyfriends out and they fought right there on television. Toushiro, tell me, these people don't vote, do they?"

Toushiro blinked. "I wouldn't think so. No sir."

Shunsui poked his head into the room. "Excuse me, Mr. President."

"What do you need, Shunsui?" Urahara sighed.

"I asked Shunsui to join me here, sir." Toushiro said.

Urahara settled into a chair. "What's on your mind?"

Toushiro spoke, "The era of big government is over."

Urahara raised an eyebrow. "You want to cut the line?"

"I want to change the sentiment. We're running away from ourselves, and I know we can score points that way. I was the principle architect in that campaign strategy, right along with you, Shunsui. But we're here now. Tomorrow night, we do an immense thing. We have to say what we feel. That government, no matter what its failures are in the past, and in times to come, for that matter, the government can be a place where people come together and where no one gets left behind. No one gets left behind, an instrument of good." Toushiro paused. "I have no trouble understanding why the line tested well, Shunsui, but I don't think that means we should say it. I think that means we should change it."

"I think so, too." Urahara glanced over at Shunsui. "What do you think, Shunsui?"

Shunsui smiled. "I'd make it a point never to disagree with Toushiro when he's right, Mr. President."

Urahara nodded. "Then you and Gin get your people together and get to work."

"Thank you, Mr. President."

Urahara smiled. "Thank you."

Ichigo just smiled as Toushiro and Shunsui left the room.


	63. He Shall From Time to Time

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**He Shall From Time to Time**

Kisuke stepped into the room with his wife at his side and a grin on his face. Yes, he apparently did have a bad cold, but they weren't going to cancel the State of the Union for that. Besides, given all the hard work that had gone into the speech, it really would be a waste, and he really was fine. Everyone was overreacting.

He surveyed the room. Everyone was here. Rangiku was laughing with Gin about something while Jyuushiro whispered something to his wife who would also be attending the speech. Shunsui was getting beaten by his lovely assistant who was currently armed with a folder. Kisuke had no idea what Shunsui had done this time, but Nanao would get things sorted out. She always did. Toushiro was looking grumpy as usual which was absolutely typical before a big speech.

Kisuke addressed the group. "Friends, let me have your attention please. A lot of time, energy, passion, wit, skill, and talent went into drafting this, and while you might not know it from my delivery later, this is an extraordinary speech. And I say thee yea! Toushiro Hitsugaya, and I say thee yea! Gin Ichimaru!"

The gathered group began to clap. Ichigo stole up beside him. "Sir, the motorcade's ready and the agriculture secretary is in the Oval Office."

Urahara nodded and headed out of the room. Time to give that speech.


	64. Weather Report

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Weather Report**

Toushiro leaned against the doorframe for Gin's office. "Is it going to rain?

Gin didn't look up from his computer. "No."

"It looks like it's going to rain."

Gin shrugged. "It's overcast."

"Isn't that usually what it is before it rains?" Toushiro arched an eyebrow.

"Yes."

"But in this case?"

Gin sighed. "It's not going to rain till later today."

Toushiro rolled his eyes. "If it rains, please remember to change the opening line."

"It's not going to rain till one, maybe two o'clock."

"Yeah, but if you're wrong, you've got to change the opening line!"

Gin finally looked up. "I'm not getting this from morning drive-time radio, Toushiro. I'm getting this from First Lieutenant Mai Suzuki of the U.S. Coast Guard, who would not let me down 'cause she has a very really...a very comforting voice."

Toushiro rolled his eyes again. "Okay, here's my thing. If you're wrong, if the coast guard is wrong, the remarks open with 'As I look out over this magnificent vista.' If the event gets moved indoors, he will no longer be looking out over a vista of any kind."

It was Gin's turn to roll his eyes. "Do you honestly think he can't change that on his feet? Do you honestly think the President doesn't know where he is when he's giving a speech?"

Toushiro just sighed. "This isn't a major policy address, Gin. This is five minutes in front of the United Organization of Trout Fishermen. I'm saying if it gets moved inside-"

Gin cut him off. "I got this from the U.S. Coast Guard. I got this from the National Weather Service. They use satellites. They use technology."

Outside Gin's window, there was a flash of lightening followed by a clap of thunder. And then the sky opened up.

Toushiro sighed again. "This is the same satellite technology we use to detect intercontinental ballistic missiles, right?"

"Yes," Gin nodded.

"All right then."

As they headed into the hall with the final text of the speech, Rangiku joined the two of them.

"We should move the thing inside," she told them.

"Gin says it's probably not going to rain till later."

Rangiku gave them both a look before moving on. "Have either of you heard anything about a piece of paper that's going around?"

Gin blinked. "What piece of paper?"

Rangiku shrugged.

"I don't know. At the gaggle with the press, Noba asked what I knew about a piece of paper that's going around. Maybe something you used from the campaign?"

Gin shook his head. "I haven't heard anything."

Rangiku sighed. "Me either."

"Let's find out," Toushiro suggested.

"That's good advice, Toushiro."

As they turned the corner, the trio ran into Jyuushiro.

"We're in the second floor auditorium in the O.E.O.B."

"And they're moving people inside?" Rangiku asked.

"People are there. They moved them twenty minutes ago," the Chief of Staff told them.

Gin blinked. "Why?"

Jyuu just shrugged. "The weather report said it was going to rain."

"It did?"

"Yes."

Gin sighed. "Is it possible First Lieutenant Mai Suzuki is yanking me around?"

"Where's the President?" Toushiro asked.

"He's already over there."

"How's his mood today?" Rangiku asked as they walked through the lobby and out into the rain.

Jyuushiro shrugged again. "We had breakfast. He seemed very upbeat, very energetic, very optimistic about the day."

"How long do you think do you suppose that's going to last?" Was Rangiku's next question.

* * *

Ichigo always found it rather interesting being a part of the president's entourage. He was currently surrounded by secret service agents while himself, President Urahara, and Ms. Tsumugiya made their way to the room where the president's audience was waiting. And once again, the president was a little grumpy.

"Can we get this Godforsaken event over with so I can get back to presiding over a civilization gone to hell in a handcart?"

Ms. Tsumugiya snorted. "Nice talk for a President."

"Leave me alone."

"You know what this is, don't you sir?"

Urahara rolled his eyes at her. "What what is?"

"Your mood, sir."

"There's nothing wrong with my mood."

"It's your diet."

The president sighed. "Would you get off me with that?"

"You're not getting enough roughage in your diet. You know I'm right about that," Ururu insisted.

"I know I'd like to beat you senseless with a head of cabbage. I know that for damn sure."

She rolled her eyes at the president. "Once again, you display an immaturity about vegetables and I think is not at all Presidential."

Urahara turned to him instead of answering that. "Ichigo, does anyone have my remarks?"

Ichigo nodded. "Gin's bringing them, Mr. President."

"Is Toushiro on his way?"

"Yes sir."

"Rangiku?"

"Yes sir."

"Why aren't they here right now?"

Ichigo bit back a grin. "They didn't know that it was raining, sir."

Urahara just sighed. "Nothing like surrounding yourself with the best and the brightest, Ichigo."

Toushiro, Gin, Jyuushiro, and Rangiku joined them, and they continued on towards the event.

"Good morning, sir."

"Good morning, Mr. President."

"Good morning, sir."

Urahara gave all of them a look. "Hello."

"How are you, sir?" Toushiro asked.

The president raised an eyebrow. "You didn't know it was raining?"

Toushiro sighed. "To our credit sir, we knew it was raining once it started to rain."

"Okay."

Gin handed over several pieces of paper. "Here are your remarks, sir."

Urahara nodded. "A couple of things, uh, who am I going to be talking to now?"

"The United Organization of Trout Fishermen," Gin informed him.

"No, seriously now."

"Sir?"

Urahara sighed. "Give me the damn speech."

"There's some very nice anecdotes there about trout fishing," Gin offered.

"Have I ever been trout fishing?" Urahara asked.

Gin just shrugged. "Probably not."

"Okay."

Shunsui came up from behind the group. "Good morning, Mr. President."

"What's going on, Shunsui?"

Shunsui sighed. "The C.V.O.'s going to revise its outyear projections, two commissioners resigned from the F.E.C. this morning, and the N.G.A. endorsed trigger locks."

"How much?" Toushiro asked.

Shunsui titled his head to the side. "The projections?"

"Yeah."

"Uh, maybe two hundred billion?"

"Hang on," the president said.

Movement of the entire group stopped.

"Two F.E.C. commissioners resigned?" Urahara asked.

"Yes, sir."

"There are two seats open in the F.E.C.?"

"Yes," Shunsui nodded.

"Sir?" Jyuushiro asked.

"This is interesting," the President said.

"Sir, this is not the world's best time to go off on a flight of idealistic-" Jyuu started.

"Jyuushiro, two seats just opened up in the Federal Election Commission," the president cut him off.

"And the Senate Leadership will fill them," was Jyuushiro's response.

"I'm saying, what if this time we say we want our guys?"

The chief of staff shrugged. "We won't win."

"Yeah, but we can dangle our feet in the water."

"It's not a good idea, sir."

"Shunsui-" the president started.

"Mr. President, you're thinking about changing the nature of democracy."

Urahara shrugged again. "I'm talking about dangling our feet in the water. Shunsui, get Jyuushiro two candidates who back aggressive campaign finance reform."

"Sir, I-I got to stand with Jyuushiro on this. I think that-"

"I'm not saying jump off the boat, Shunsui. I'm saying dangle our feet."

Shunsui sighed. "Yes, sir."

"Mr. President?" One of the aides called.

"Yes. Somebody?" The president looked around.

"The United Organization of Trout Fishermen," Gin prompted.

"Thank you."

Urahara and his staff headed for the auditorium.

"You going to concentrate on this now, or is your head going to be in changing the nature of democracy?" Jyuushiro asked.

"No, I'm definitely going to be thinking about the trout fishermen, Jyuushiro, 'cause that's where my focus should be."

"You were in a better mood an hour ago, Mr. President."

"I was in a better mood a year ago, Jyuushiro."

Rangiku turned her attention to Jyuushiro and Shunsui. "Does anybody know anything about a piece of paper that's been going around?"

Jyuu frowned. "What piece of paper?"

"I don't know," she replied, sounding more than a little concerned.

Urahara paused. "Rangiku, are you taller than you usually are?"

She shook her head. "No, sir. I'm my usual height."

"Okay." The president turned to Gin. "Couldn't pick a trout out of a police lineup, by the way."

"Focus," Jyuushiro sighed.

Ichigo followed the president into the auditorium with a smile. His job was at least interesting.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the President of the United States!"

* * *

The four men loitered outside the auditorium instead of heading back to their offices.

"Two Federal Election seats open on the same day?" Shunsui grinned.

Jyuu just shook his head. "You can dream all you want Shunsui, but you're dead in the water, it's never going to happen."

"That's what I thought too, but after your little pep talk just now…"

They could hear Urahara take the podium.

"Thank you. Thank you very much. It's good to see you. Thank you."

Gin groaned.

"Gin?" Toushiro asked.

"Damn it!"

"What?" Jyuushiro sounded concerned.

"I forgot to do something."

They could still hear the president's voice. "As I look out over this magnificent vista…"

Toushiro looked away in frustration as Gin face palmed. Shunsui and Jyuushiro just laughed.


	65. Changing the Nature of Democracy

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Changing the Nature of Democracy**

Shunsui had the feeling that someone had told Nanao he'd been given a pretty much impossible task today. That was the only reason he could think of that his pretty assistant would be this interested in his current assignment. Either that or she might be punishing him for something.

"How does the F.E.C. work?" Nanao asked.

"Six commissioners are appointed for a six-year term," Shunsui explained. "Two seats come up every two years."

Nanao nodded. "And two commissioners just resigned?"

"At the same time."

She tilted her head to the side. "How many times has that happened?"

"Including this time?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Once."

Nanao's brow furrowed a little. "So the President has the opportunity to back the F.E.C. without people and make immeasurable impact on campaign finance reform?"

"Yes."

"Well, do it, baby!"

Shunsui blinked, a little stunned. "There are a couple of roadblocks."

"What?" asked Nanao.

"Whenever a vacancy comes up, the party leadership of both sides…" he trailed off. "Did you just call me 'baby' back there?"

Nanao nodded. "Yes."

Shunsui noted the way her fingers were twitching slightly. Someone had probably broken out the espresso and hadn't mentioned it. His Nanao got a little hyper and twitchy if she had too much coffee. She normally stuck to other types of caffeine.

"Okay. Uh, when a vacancy comes up, it's up to the President to fill it, but the party leadership on both sides always, always, always dictates to the President who he's going to appoint. One Republican. One Democrat. Whoever the leadership says. That's how you keep the peace."

"But you're going to change all that, right?"

Shunsui just shrugged. "No, but I'm going to spend the rest of the week trying."

Nanao frowned at him. "That's not the right spirit, Shunsui. You're trying to change the nature of democracy."

It was next to impossible. And his normally stern and proper assistant was currently on a caffeine high and far too perky.

He sighed. "You're right. I'm going to need a bagel."

Nanao hit him with the folder she was holding. He sighed again. It was going to be a long day.


	66. Broken Emails

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Broken Emails**

Jyuushiro frowned at his computer before calling for his assistant. "Kiyone!"

She appeared in the doorway. "Yes?"

"I can't e-mail."

The young woman smiled. "They're working on the problem."

"What's the problem?" he asked.

Kiyone sighed. "My friend, Michiru, from the President's Council on Physical Fitness, you remember her?"

Jyuu shook his head. "No."

"She's the one where you say, 'Who's that?' And I say, 'That's my friend, Michiru, from the President's Council on Physical Fitness.'"

Shunsui appeared behind Kiyone in the doorway. "Hey."

Jyuu smiled. "Oh, hey Shunsui."

Kiyone kept talking. "Anyway, she sent me an e-mail about the actual calorie count in the raisin muffin they're serving in the mess. I forwarded the e-mail to several hundred assistants and secretaries in O.E.O.B. and in the West Wing, and that was fine. But Mahana Natsui, who works in political liaison, then hit reply all, which apparently-"

Jyuushiro had to cut her ff. "Oh, Kiyone! Kiyone! I'm sorry. I'm going to have to…I hung in there as long as I could, but you long since passed the point when I stopped caring. If you're curious, it was right around raisin muffin."

"I'll leave you two alone." She huffed and walked away.

"And fix the e-mail," Jyuushiro called after her.

"Yes," she called back over her shoulder.

Jyuushiro turned his attention back to his best friend. "So, who'd you come up with?"

"Shinji Hirako and Chikane Iba," Shunsui offered.

"Oh, I know Shinji. Who's the other?"

"Chikane Iba's the director of the Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies at the Heritage Foundation. She worked in the White House O.M.B. under two Republican Presidents."

Jyuu nodded. "And she favors campaign finance overhaul?"

Shunsui smiled. "Aggressive overhaul."

"Then the leadership's going to hate them both."

Shun just shrugged. "What do you want me to do?"

"Meet with the top guys in the leadership offices," Jyuu sighed.

Shunsui blinked and then arched his eyebrow in manner very reminiscent of Nanao. "You want me to meet with the leadership?"

He shook his head. "Absolutely not. I want you to meet their guys, and I want you to do it outside the building. Do it over a meal."

Shunsui sighed. "Jyuushiro, the President can't think we're going to get anywhere with this, can he?"

Jyuu pressed the send button on the e-mail again. It didn't work. "Hmmm?"

"The President doesn't think we're going to get anywhere with this, can he?" Shun asked again.

"No."

"Okay." Shunsui paused. "So, what happened with e-mail?"

Jyuushiro just shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. It has something to do with the President's Council on Physical Fitness."

Shunsui blinked. "Okay."

Jyuushiro just sighed again. It was going to be a long day.


	67. Rubbed the Wrong Way

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Rubbed the Wrong Way**

Shunsui ignored the food in front of him while the guys from the leadership ate. He knew this was a hopeless cause, but he was going to try.

"Soft money contributions render the 1974 Campaign Reform Act toothless. Soft money contributions, which were ostensibly designed for party-building, whatever that might

mean, do nothing but eviscerate any meaningful election controls. We are, by definition,

corrupt."

Tesra Lindocruz rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't say that."

Shunsui bit back a sigh. "I know you wouldn't, Tesra. This money isn't coming in in 5's and 10's and 20's. It's coming in in denominations of 100, 200, 500 thousand dollars. It's coming from special interests. It's coming from special interests whose interests aren't the same as those who don't have a half a million bucks lying around, and it's not going to party-building. It's going to issue ads. It's going to candidates."

One of Tesra's aides smirked. "Yeah. It's called free speech, Shunsui."

"If the insurance company wants to buy ad time from sixty-four major markets, they are free to do so. If the airplane manufacturing industry wants to back a candidate, they are free to shout from the rooftops. If big tobacco wants to wave a sign or put a bumper sticker on their cars, they are free to do so. That's free speech. Money isn't speech."

Edrad Liones scoffed. "I like it when Shunsui comes here once in a while to teach us a lesson we so richly deserve."

These guys were beginning to irritate him. "I came here as a courtesy, Edrad. I came at the request of Jyuushiro Ukitake. The President is strong considering Shinji Hirako and Chikane Iba to fill in the two seats."

Tesra just shook his head. "I'm pretty sure we've already got our two guys, don't we?"

The aide nodded. "Yes."

Edrad smiled. "It's Aaroniero Arruruerie."

Tesra nodded. "Aaroniero Arruruerie and Findor Carias."

It was Shunsui's turn to roll his eyes. "Two people who oppose any campaign finance reform. Well-"

Edrad cut him off. "I thought you like Arruruerie, Shunsui. He got a lot of democrats elected in Indiana."

Shunsui shrugged. "He raised a lot of money in Indiana. And Findor Carias says that people are allowed to spend whatever they want in politics."

Tesra snorted. "Yeah. So does the Supreme Court, by the way. Uh, Shunsui, look, we can't have this meeting every time the President wakes up in the morning and decides to make the world better. The party leadership's going to choose a Republican. The party leadership's going to choose a Democrat. That's the way it's always been. That's the way it's going to be. That's the way it is."

"Really?" Shunsui asked. Somehow, that wasn't the way it was supposed to work.

"Yes."

"The President makes appointments to the Federal Election Commission," Shunsui stated.

Tesra nodded. "And the Senate confirms them. And I'm speaking from the majority leader. Embarrass us like this, and we will give the same back to you tenfold. Every piece of legislation the White House wants off the table will make a sudden appearance."

His aide grinned. "Yeah. Tesra's talking our greatest hits, Shunsui. 5-4-1, school prayer, Family Support Act, Entertainment Decency Act."

"English as the national language," Edrad added.

Tesra nodded again. "English as the national language will be first up. That's going to be our leadoff hitter."

Shunsui frowned. That seemed a little extreme. "Wouldn't it be easier to just not confirm our nominees?"

Tesra smiled. "Oh, we're going to do that too."

Shunsui blinked, beginning to get the picture. "Are you saying that in addition to voting down our nominees, there's going to be political retribution for having nominated them in the first place?"

"Yes. You know why? Because you know if you do this, you're going to lose, and we're going to look bad winning. I also got to say that I reject the suggestion that the best way to maintain free speech is by having government regulate it."

Shunsui had had this meeting several times before, and he was sick of it. It seemed like every time the White House wanted to change the way something was done, this was what they ran up against. And he was tired of it. Shunsui wasn't sure if it had been Nanao's enthusiasm at the idea this morning or just the fact everyone else on the senior staff thought it was a hopeless cause, but he was actually going to see this one through.

"Reject whatever you want."

Tesra frowned at him. "I didn't hear that."

Shunsui got to his feet. "I said reject whatever you want. You know, four hours ago, this was a fool's errand for me, and the President knew it. This was a test balloon. This was a 'just out of curiosity let's see what would happen if' meeting, but you've managed to get me on board."

Tesra had an odd look on his face. His aide frowned.

"Tesra, we got a caucus."

Tesra got to his feet. "We got to go."

Shunsui watched as they left the room. This was one fight he wasn't going to back down from.


	68. Lunch Orders

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Lunch Orders**

Ichigo followed Ms. Tsumugiya out of her office. There were days when he really wondered if she was related to the president. She acted like his older sister (despite the fact that Ururu was younger than Urahara) all the time.

"Ms. Tsumugiya."

She smiled. "I'm going to lunch, Ichigo."

"Speaking of lunch."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Yes?"

Ichigo sighed. "The President's not too wild about his."

"What's the nature of his dissatisfaction?"

"He said it's made almost entirely of vegetables."

Ururu rolled her eyes at him. "It's a salad, Ichigo."

"The President would prefer a sandwich. He says roast beef would be fine. Pastrami, sliced steak-"

She cut him off. "Ichigo, tell the President he will eat his salad. If he doesn't like it, he knows where to put his salad."

Urahara and Ururu definitely acted like brother and sister, and somehow, Ichigo always got in the middle.

"Well, I don't think I will tell the President that, Ms. Tsumugiya, but I appreciate your help."

Slinging her purse over her shoulder, Ururu grinned. "You bet."


	69. Complications

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Complications**

Nanao was waiting for him in the lobby when he came back to the White House.

"How'd it go?"

He blinked. "How do you know to be standing here?"

She shrugged. "I see you at the window."

But she didn't have a window she could see from her desk.

"You don't have a window."

Nanao shrugged again. "You have a window."

Shunsui frowned. "What are you doing in my office when I'm not there?"

Nanao gave him a look. "Looking for you at the window."

It was his turn to shrug. "Okay."

The two of them headed towards his office.

"How'd it go?" Nanao asked.

"It went fine."

She gave him a look again. "Just fine?"

"Yeah."

"You don't want to say anything more than that?"

He sighed. He really didn't want to rehash the meeting with anyone right now. "I

don't, Nanao, and the way that you know that I don't, is that I'm not."

Nanao frowned at him. "Okay."

He sighed again; better get started on this thing now. "I need you to get me prepped on something."

"What?"

"English as the national language."

She wrinkled her nose. "Why?"

Shunsui resisted the urge to kiss her nose; she really was adorable at times. "Might come up."

"Why?" Nanao pressed.

"Because...it doesn't matter." He really didn't want to admit to her that he might have started a fight with party leadership on both sides. "Because if we do a thing with the F.E.C., opponents will put English as the national language on the table."

"Are we for it or against it?" Nanao asked."

Shunsui just sighed. "Nanao…"

She rolled her eyes at him. "I mean we're not in favor of making another language the official language, are we?"

"Nanao!" Somehow her sarcasm did make him feel better.

"Like Dutch or something."

Shunsui smiled. "Bullet points? Please?"

She smiled back. "Give me thirty minutes?

Shunsui headed into his office. "Thank you."

Nanao called after him. "Oh, and Toushiro said to come by as soon as you got back."

Shunsui stuck his head out the door. "Toushiro?"

Nanao nodded. "Yes."

Shunsui hurried down the hall towards Toushiro's office. Now what?


	70. Stuck in a Rut

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Stuck in a Rut**

Toushiro waited for Jyuushiro to finish what he was currently doing while Kiyone kept going on about something to do with the e-mail.

"I.T. support is now accusing me of being a hacker. They're accusing me of spamming or smurfing. They asked me if I was running a Trojan horse. I said no, I...I was simply informing the others that the calorie count in the raisin muffin was wrong. And it is, Toushiro. You don't believe me...You should take one of those muffins and you know, take it down to the lab."

"I'll do that."

Her eyes went wide, and she smiled. "Will you?"

"Get me a muffin," He told her. "Be careful not to handle it yourself. You want to use gloves. Slip it to me in a plastic bag. I'll send it off to the lab."

She frowned at him. "You're mocking me now, aren't you?"

Toushiro smiled; it was more fun to tease Kiyone than think about the mess they had. "Yes."

Jyuushiro's office door opened. "Come in."

Toushiro sighed and went on in. It was turning out to be a very bad day. Rangiku had found out what the piece of paper going around was. It was a memo written by Kukaku before she had worked for them, and it detailed how to defeat President Urahara when it came to the Democratic nomination. Which did explain all of the attacks lately. Toushiro sat down.

Jyuushiro offered a smile. "Kiyone thinks the F.B.I.'s going to bust in here any minute."

"Yeah," he sighed again. "I got my second bit of bad news for you today, Jyuushiro."

The chief of staff didn't look too surprised. "You got new numbers?"

"Yeah."

"How bad is it?"

"CNN/USA Today puts our job approval at 42%."

Jyuushiro blinked. "We dropped five points?"

Toushiro just nodded. "Yes."

"In a week?"

"His unfavorables are higher than his favorables for the first time. Fifty-four percent of the country is likely to vote for a Republican Congressional candidate in November," Toushiro continued to report.

"We dropped five points in a week?" Jyuu couldn't seem to get past that.

"Yes."

"We didn't do anything last week."

"I'll say." They were getting no where these days, and Toushiro was just as frustrated as everybody else. "One victory in a year, Jyuushiro."

"This President was elected with 48% of the vote, Toushiro."

"Yes, but he was elected." This was an old argument. They'd been having it for a while.

"Without a mandate. The majority of people in the country voted for somebody else."

"I don't care, Jyuushiro. He was elected. He was sworn in. I was standing ten feet from the chief justice."

"I'm saying it's not the easiest circumstances-"

"Who the hell said it would be easy?" Toushiro interrupted.

"One victory in a year isn't so bad!"

Toushiro gave the man a look. He knew that Jyuushiro didn't really believe that. "One victory in a year stinks in a life of an administration. But it's not the ones we lose that bother me, Jyuushiro. It's the ones we don't suit up for!"

There was a knock at the door interrupting them.

Jyuushiro sighed. "Yes?"

Rangiku opened the door. "Hey."

Jyuu nodded at her. "Oh. Hey, Rangiku."

She fidgeted a little. "The President's reading Kukaku's memo. I just gave it to him."

Jyuushiro sighed yet again. "I wish you hadn't done that, Rangiku."

"Why?"

"It's just going to piss him off." Jyuu shook his head.

It was Rangiku's turn to sigh. "It's going to be in the newspapers tomorrow."

"Did you find out who has it?"

She nodded. "Kanonji."

"And he's writing it?"

"Yeah." Rangiku made a face. "It should run right next to the new polling numbers."

Shunsui and Gin joined the group in Jyuushiro's office. Everyone looked rather tired and defeated.

"How did we drop five points in a week?" Shunsui wanted to know.

Jyuu shrugged. "It happened. Let's move on."

Shunsui shrugged. "What I think is this: the Senate will confirm Hirako and Iba. They'll have to 'cause their credentials are too good, and the voters want campaign reform. As a punishment, they'll roll out a legislative agenda designed to force the President to come down on the unpopular side of everything. For instance, they'll bring out English as the national language. I believe-"

Jyuu cut him off. "We're not going to let it on the table."

"I think we shouldn't be afraid-" Shunsui started.

"Shunsui."

Shunsui sighed. "Jyuushiro, I think we shouldn't be afraid to get into it on English as the-"

"He's not going to let it on the table," Jyuushiro said again. The president rarely followed up on anything like this. The party leadership showed their teeth, and the White House tended to back down. They weren't a very well liked administration when it came to the both the House and the Senate, and Urahara tried not to step on too many toes. Which Toushiro found silly since the man was president, but

"Then we'll live with their candidates for the F.E.C." Shunsui made a face.

"As we always have," Jyuushiro reminded him.

"Yes."

Jyuushiro turned to Gin. "What about you?"

"My meeting?" Gin asked.

"Yeah."

"It was the same meeting we've been having for…" Gin trailed off then shrugged. "It was fine."

In other words, no progress had been made. They were all stuck in a rut. Nothing seemed to change these days, and nothing really got accomplished. Ichigo entered the room.

"Yes?" Jyuushiro sighed.

"I'm sorry to interrupt." Ichigo shrugged and gestured to the Oval Office.

Jyuushiro got to his feet. Toushiro could tell he wasn't looking forward to this. The senior staff was stuck in a rut, and unless Jyuushiro could convince the president that they could survive retaliation from both political parties, they were going to stay here. Still, Toushiro was glad it was Jyuu going in their instead of himself.


	71. Let Urahara Be Urahara

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Let Urahara Be Urahara**

Jyuushiro made his way into the Oval Office, shutting the door behind him. He wasn't entirely sure how to approach this situation. Things were either going to change tonight or they would probably be stuck in this rut for the rest of Urahara's presidency. However, Jyuu was at a disadvantage here. He wasn't the one who had brought Urahara on board, Yamamoto had. Like most of the staff, he had met Urahara during the campaign, and they didn't have a relationship that went further back. Still, Jyuushiro liked Urahara and thought he could do a lot for the country. He just needed to get a little more motivated to do something. Hopefully, Jyuu could figure out how to do that.

"Who's got this?" Urahara asked from his seat on one of the couches.

"Misaomaru Kanonji."

"Why am I just finding out about this now?"

Jyuu sighed, "We spent most of the day learning about it ourselves."

"I really did wake up energized this morning," commented Urahara.

"I know."

It was Urahara's turn to sigh. "I never go to bed that way."

He nodded. "I know."

"Just once, in this job, I'd like to end a day feeling as good as I did when the day started." Urahara paused. "Are you bothered by this?"

"The memo?"

"Yeah."

Jyuushiro nodded. "Yes."

Urahara shook his head. "We've heard it all before, Jyuushiro. You drive me to political safe ground. It's not true."

"I know it's not true." Jyuushiro realized that he was about to do something stupid that Shunsui would probably do. He was going to do it anyway.

"Good." Urahara got up and walked towards his desk.

"You drive me there." Jyuu was going to pick a fight with the president.

Urahara whirled around. "What the hell did you say?"

Jyuushiro pressed on. "And you know it too."

Urahara glared at him. "Jyuushiro?"

"We're stuck in neutral because that's where you tell me to stay."

"You're wrong."

Jyuu shook his head. "No. I'm not, sir."

Urahara took a step towards him. "You want to do this now?"

"Sir?" Better now than never.

"Look-"

Jyuu cut him off. "Everything you do says: 'For God's sakes, Jyuushiro. I don't want to be a one-term President.'"

"Did I not say put our guys on the F.E.C.?" Urahara demanded.

Jyuushiro stood firm. "No sir. You did not do that."

"Jyuushiro!"

He met the president's eyes. "You said, let's dangle our feet in the water of whatever the hell it is we dangle our feet in, when we want to make it look like we're trying without pissing too many people off!"

Urahara snorted. "You're writing a fascinating version of history, my friend."

"Oh, take a look at Kukaku's memo, Mr. President, and you'll read a fascinating version of it."

"You brought me in on teachers. You brought me in on capital gains. You brought me in on China. And you brought me in on guns."

"Brought you in from where? You've never been out there on guns. You've never been out there on teachers. You dangle your feet, and I'm the hall monitor around here. It's my job to make sure nobody runs too fast or goes off too far. I tell Shunsui to go to the Hill on campaign finance, he knows nothing's going to come out of it."

"That's crap."

Jyuu gave the man a look. "Gin can't get real on Don't Ask, Don't Tell because you're not going to be there, and every guy sitting across the room from him knows that."

"Jyuushiro, if I ever told you to get aggressive about campaign finance or gays in the military, you would tell me, 'Don't run too fast or go too far.'"

"If you ever told me to get aggressive about anything, I'd say I serve at the pleasure of the President." Jyuu countered. "But we'll never know, sir, because I don't think you're ever going to say it."

"I have said it, and nothing's every happened!"

Jyuushiro raised an eyebrow. "You want to see me orchestrate this right now? You want to see me mobilize these people? These people who would walk into fire if you told them to. These people who showed up to lead. These people who showed up to fight. Everyone's waiting for you. I don't know how much longer."

Urahara frowned. "I don't want to feel like this anymore."

"You don't have to." It looked like that was the push Urahara needed.

"I don't want to go to sleep like this."

"You don't have to."

Urahara nodded. "I want to speak.

"Say it out loud. Say it to me." Jyuu wanted a verbal confirmation before he did something.

"This is more important than reelection. I want to speak now."

Jyuushiro grinned. "Now we're in business!"

He scooped up a pad a paper from one of the tables and jotted out a list. Urahara peered over his shoulder.

"What's happening?"

"We got our asses kicked in the first quarter, and it's time we move up the mat." Jyuushiro grinned as he put his strategy down on paper. "I'm going to talk to the staff. I'm going to take them off the leash."

"You have a strategy for all this?" Urahara asked.

Jyuu shrugged. "I have the beginnings of one."

"What is it?"

"I'm going to try that out for a little while." He held out the pad of a paper so Urahara could read what he's written in all capitol letters at the top: 'LET URAHARA BE URAHARA.'

Jyuu headed back into his office, leaving the door open behind him. They had a lot of work to do. He took off his jacket and leaned against his desk with a grin as he started rolling up his sleeves.

"Listen up. Our ground game isn't working. If we want to walk into walls, I'd want us running into them full speed."

Shunsui started to smile. "What are you saying?"

"Well, you can start by telling the Hill the President has named his nominees for the F.E.C." Shunsui's grin probably matched his own. Jyuushiro continued on talking. "And we're going to lose some of these battles, and we might even lose the White House, but we're not going to be threatened by issues. We're going to put them front and center. We're going to raise the level of public debate in this country, and let that be our legacy. That sound all right to you, Shunsui?"

"I serve at the pleasure of the President of the United States."

He turned to Rangiku. "How about you?"

She just flipped her hair. "I serve at the pleasure of the President."

"Gin?"

"I serve at the pleasure of President Urahara."

"Toushiro?"

"I serve at the pleasure of the President."

Everybody was grinning now. They weren't going to take things lying down anymore. They were fighting to win now.

"Good." Jyuushiro grinned, grabbing a clipboard from his desk. "Then let's get in the game!"

They were not going stay in this rut any longer now.


	72. Throwing Their Caps Over the Wall

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Throwing Their Caps Over the Wall**

The senior staff kept an eye on the president as he made his speech. This was going shake things up a little.

"I get nervous around laws that fundamentally assume that Americans can't be trusted. We'd better have mandatory sentencing, because judges can't be trusted to disperse even-handed justice."

Given the applause from the crowd, Gin would say that they liked the speech so far.

"We better have term limits, 'cause voters can't be trusted to recognize corruption. Oh, and by the way…I say, by the way. When the playing field is leveled and the process is fair and open, it turns out we have term limits. They're called elections."

The audience applauded once again. Gin glanced over his shoulder to the room behind him where the journalists were gathered. Rangiku was prowling the room, keeping an eye on things.

"The President ate his Wheaties this morning," one of the reporters commented.

Rangiku raised an eyebrow. "As a matter of fact, the President had a bowl of oatmeal this morning. He said it was something he's always wanted to try. Folks, listen up. In a moment or two, the President is going to say something that's sure to get you all shouting my name at once. There'll be a full briefing tonight at the White House."

"Rangiku, what is this? What's going on in there?" one of the reporters asked.

"The President's going to throw his cap over the wall." Rangiku grinned.

"What does that mean?"

"You're about to find out."

Urahara had continued on with the speech. "My father was very fond of the analogy of the Irish lads whose journey was blocked by a brick wall, seemingly too high to scale. Throwing their caps over the wall, the lads had no choice but to follow. How many times in the great history of our country have we come to a wall seemingly too high to scale only to throw our caps to the other side Tomorrow...tomorrow morning, we're going to begin to change the way elections are supervised in this country. I am proud to nominate Shinji Hirako and Chikane Iba to the Federal Election Commission."

Gin turned his attention to Shunsui. "You're about to get a call."

Shunsui nodded. "Yeah."

"Big call." And knowing the party leadership it was probably going to be a nasty one too.

"Yes."

"Powerful guy."

Shunsui nodded again. "Yeah."

"I'm just saying you're probably rocked back from your meeting last week."

Shunsui shrugged. "A little."

"They threatened you with a legislative agenda."

"Yeah." Shunsui was started to sound a little irked.

"They made you feel powerless and you're a little off your game."

"Yes."

"A little gun shy."

There was the sound of a phone ringing.

Toushiro nudged him. "Leave him alone."

"I'm bucking him up," Gin protested.

"Leave him alone," Toushiro repeated.

"You asked me to buck him up."

"Now, I'm telling you to leave him alone."

"Guys, I'm trying to watch this speech," Shunsui complained.

"Shunsui." Nanao had appeared at the man's side.

"The call?" he asked.

She nodded and handed him a cell phone. "On the cell."

"Shunsui, if you need us, we're standing right here," Toushiro said.

Shunsui turned away to answer the call, but the three of them could hear everything he said.

"Hi, Senator. Why don't you take your legislative agenda and shove it up your ass." Shunsui snapped the phone shut and turned back to the group. "Turns out I was fine."


	73. Getting Down to It

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Getting Down to It**

Shunsui watched the broadcast of Rangiku dealing with the reporters from his office. She was doing a great job.

"Rangiku? Is the White House concerned that the FEC will become a partisan political football?"

"I'd like to emphasize again that the President has nominated one Democrat and one Republican," Rangiku replied. She called on another reporter. "Ririn."

"In the past, the F.E.C. Commissioners were chosen-"

Rangiku cut the woman off. "In the past, the F.E.C. Commissioners has been chosen by the President, signing off on whomever the Congressional Leadership pointed to."

"Was the Congressional Leadership aware in advance that the President would be slipping this announcement in his speech tonight?" Another reporter asked,

Rangiku grinned. "I think it's possible we forgot to tell them."

"Rangiku, is the President declaring war on Congress?" came the next question.

"Say it's a police action," Shunsui muttered.

Rangiku's image on the TV shrugged. "The President isn't empowered to declare war. The President is empowered, in fact, he's obligated to nominate Federal Agency Directors. I call it more of a police action."

He chuckled. "How 'bout that?"

Nanao walked into his office. "Toushiro wants you."

"On the phone?"

She shook her head. "In his office."

"Do you know why?" Shunsui asked as they headed towards the Communications Bullpen.

"Polling."

Shunsui gave her a look. He could guess what she wasn't saying.

"He's bringing in Eikichiro Saido?" None of the staff liked Saido.

Nanao sighed. "Let him tell you."

"Why can't you tell me?"

"'Cause you're going to his office right now. And I've got thirty-seven different things to…"

They had reached the Communications Bullpen. Both Toushiro and Gin's assistants were there.

Mashiro grinned at him. "Rambo!"

The assistants applauded. Shunsui just grinned.

"You talking to me?"

"Nice phone call."

"That's how we do things in New England, my friends." He gave a victorious salute.

Mashiro just shook her head. "In Indiana, we're not allowed to talk like that."

Hiyori smirked. "In New Jersey, we encourage it."

"Where's Toushiro?"

"They're in Gin's office."

Shunsui entered Gin's office and shut the door behind himself. Then he just stood there and grinned. It was always interesting watching Toushiro and Gin write together.

"Hey."

"Hang on." Toushiro turned back to Gin. "That's good…good…okay…Gin?"

"Yeah."

"You're going to come to a verb soon, right?"

"Okay. You know what this is called?"

"Bad writing?" Toushiro asked.

"Imagery."

"Well, you say potato... Shunsui, it's a big polling week. I'm bringing in Eikichiro Saido."

Shunsui shook his head. "You've turned a hundred and eighty degrees on Saido. You know that?"

"I haven't turned on Saido at all. I don't want him advising the President. I want him bringing us numbers."

"Advising people is what pollsters do."

"He'll do what I tell him to do. Also…"

"It's cool."

"You threatened to run his boxers up a flagpole with him still in them."

"He hit on Nanao and made her uncomfortable. Keep him away from her, and we'll be fine."

Toushiro shook his head. "Fine."

Shunsui turned to leave. "Okay. We had a good night."

"Yes."

"Rangiku's doing great in there."

Toushiro nodded absently, his attention back on Gin's writing.

As he left the room, Shunsui heard Toushiro tell Gin, "Any time you want to use punctuation, that'd be fine."


	74. Going to Be a Long Day

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Going to Be a Long Day**

Arguing with Toushiro was always fun. Especially when you had nothing better to do.

"Mandatory Minimums are racist," Gin said.

"I understand that."

"They're a red herring."

"I understand that, too."

"It's a way of looking like you're tough on crime, without assuming the burden of being tough on crime."

"Everything you've said I understand."

It sounded like his boss was starting to get irritated. "I'm saying-"

Toushiro cut him off. "We do things one thing at a time."

"But I'm saying we don't have time to do things one thing at a time," Gin countered.

"We're talking about treatment."

"I'm talking about treatment, and I'm talking about Mandatory Minimums, and I'm saying it's a red herring and I'm saying it's racist."

"When you talk to the President, I want you talking about treatment. I want you talking about treatment vs. enforcement and I don't want you to stray from that!" Toushiro replied.

Gin arched an eyebrow. "Toushiro, is this what you meant when you said, "Gin, you're completely in charge of this"?"

His boss nodded, looking around. "Yes, I meant, you're in charge of this, in the sense that you're subordinate to me in every way. Where is this place?"

Gin knew very well what place Toushiro was talking about. They were supposed to meet Jyuushiro and Shunsui at a café for a breakfast meeting. "What place?"

"The breakfast place."

Gin smiled. "It's still on the last street."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"We were having a nice conversation."

Toushiro just rolled his eyes and turned around.

* * *

Jyuushiro watched, amused, as Kiyone fiddled with her place setting and the pencils she had brought with her. None of the others were here yet.

"All set there?" he asked.

She wrinkled her nose. "Yes."

Spotting Shunsui and Nanao, Jyuu waved them over. They were once again having a conversation that made no sense to an observer. Something about Shunsui's dry cleaning?

"Jyuushiro, we couldn't meet closer to the office?" Shunsui asked.

He shrugged. "I don't want people coming by the table."

"We couldn't meet in the office?"

"I was hungry."

"We couldn't have food ordered?"

"Oh, sit down, would you?"

Nanao rolled her eyes at them as Toushiro and Gin appeared. Gin was smirking.

"Found it."

It was Jyuu's turn to roll his eyes. "About time. Sit down."

"Ah, Jyuushiro," Gin started.

"Hang on," Jyuu told him before turning to Toushiro. "Talk to me about drugs."

"We can make a case for treatment vs. enforcement and we're ready to go to the President."

A cell phone rang. Gin jumped into the conversation.

"We're also ready to go to the President with Mandatory Minimums on crack versus powder cocaine."

"One step at a time," Jyuu reminded him.

"That's what Toushiro just said."

"Toushiro's right."

"Yes, but does anyone remember that I was put in charge?" Gin whined.

"It was an honorary kind of thing, Gin."

Gin just sighed. Kiyone handed Jyuu his cell phone.

"Yeah?" He answered.

A waitress arrived. "Are you ready to order?"

It was the information he had wanted for later. Jyuu turned to Kiyone. "Write these names down: Chiba, Iwara, Ishikawa, Matsutani, Morita, Toriyama, and Tanaka."

Kiyone nodded.

"Thank you." Jyuu hung up.

"What was that?" Toushiro asked.

"You know what that was."

Toushiro's eyes widened.

"Jyuushiro, what do you want me to do with this thing?" Kiyone asked.

"Hold on to them until I say so," he instructed.

"It's exactly the right thing to do," Toushiro said.

"From anybody but me.

"I'm beginning to regret not getting the waffles," Nanao mused.

Jyuu rolled his eyes.

"I am beginning to regret having hired any of you. We have a forty-two percent job approval and you're talking about waffles and something with Shunsui that I don't understand."

Though to be fair, he didn't understand about seventy-five percent of Nanao and Shunsui's conversations. It was like they spoke their own language at times. He was a little cranky because Retsu was across the country at a conference all week, and this week was rather insane even by White House standards, but really, couldn't everyone make sense just for one meeting.

"My point is," he continued, "we have to make it through the week without making any mistakes."

Shunsui nodded. "We will."

"I'm saying that this is-"

"I'm saying calm down," Shunsui gave him a look.

"I'm perfectly calm." Jyuu insisted. Really, he was.

"You're not calm, Jyuushiro," Gin said. "You're acting like a nervous hooleelia."

Everyone stared at Gin.

"A what?" Toushiro asked.

Gin shrugged. "It may not be a word. It may just be something my foster mother used to say."

Jyuushiro sighed. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

The Oval Office was currently holding a rather interesting argument. Not many people would cut off the president. Shunsui just watched it all unfold.

"It's a huge mistake," Saido said.

"Saido-" the president started, but the man cut him off.

"It is a huge mistake, Mr. President. And possibly a fatal one. It'll doom the midterms in November. It'll haunt you at the convention. And if you manage to get renominated, which is far from a lock, there's no way you'll win reelection."

Gin smirked, "Saido's Mr. Good News Happy Guy."

Urahara smiled at that.

Saido just kept talking. "Gin. For the first time, more voters disapprove than approve of the President's job performance, forty-two percent approval. This is not the time to come out for legalization."

"We're not coming out for legalization," Gin argued.

"You're coming-"

Gin cut him off. "Drug control-"

"Mr. President," Saido interrupted.

"Listen to me," Gin started.

"Sir."

"Listen to Gin," Toushiro interjected.

"Drug control appropriations," Gin began.

"Which total seventeen point six billion," Shunsui chimed in.

"…are divided into a ratio of two thirds enforcement and one third treatment. We want to reverse that ratio, Gin finished.

"Spend less money on drug enforcement?" Saido asked.

Gin nodded. "So that we can spend more money on treatment."

Saido snorted. "So, you're soft on crime."

"Saido."

"You don't care if kids shoot up on the playground at recess."

President Urahara rolled his eyes. "We don't care do we, Gin?"

Gin smiled. "No, sir."

Jyuushiro walked into the room. "What did I miss?"

Urahara smiled. "Saido's been here forty-five minutes, he's already got me on the playground at recess."

Jyuu looked at Saido. "Took you forty-five minutes?"

Toushiro took control of the conversation. "Mr. President, Gin and I have been working with the Office of National Drug Control Policy, we have some numbers you should hear."

Ichigo appeared in the doorway and caught Shunsui eye. Shunsui slipped out of the room and took the message that was clearly from Nanao. He kept an ear on the conversation going on inside the room thigh.

"Plus the American Medical Association says that addiction is a disease," Gin added.

"You're not going to be able to sell that," Saido said.

"Saido!" It sounded like Gin was beginning to lose his cool.

"You're not going to be able to sell it."

"The A.M.A. says it, why does it he have to sell it?" Toushiro sounded exasperated.

"Because-" was as far as Saido got before Toushiro continued.

"Drug addiction is a disease. It's a medical problem. It can be treated. This isn't ideological. It's science."

"It's science to you," was Saido's reply.

Toushiro sighed. "Science is science to everybody."

Shunsui reentered the room. "What'd I miss?"

The president smirked. "Toushiro was just explaining to Saido that science is science to everyone."

"And I believe that science is science to everybody. I just don't think you can sell that," Saido said.

Shunsui shook his head. "I'm sorry, Mr. President. While Saido tries to come up with something easier to sell than science, would you mind if I spoke to Toushiro and Jyuushiro alone?"

Urahara nodded. "Go."


	75. A Minor Setup

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**A Minor Set Up**

"How's it going in there?" Shunsui asked.

Jyuushiro smiled. "Gin's just starting."

"You talked to him about the thing, yet?" Shunsui gestured at Toushiro.

Jyuu shook his head. "No."

Toushiro raised his eyebrow, "Me?"

"Yeah, listen," Jyuushiro started.

"We want you to go to a meeting," Shunsui cut in.

"With who?" Toushiro wanted to know.

Shunsui fidgeted. "A prominent House Democrat who has a voice on Campaign Finance Reform and if it was someone on the Ethics Committee that'd be even better, cause then she could answer some of Jyuushiro's questions."

Toushiro smiled a little. "I used to be married to someone who fits that description."

It was Jyuu's turn to smile. "I set up lunch for the two of you."

"You set me up on a date with my ex-wife?" Now Toushiro was annoyed.

Jyuu just shrugged. Everyone knew that Momo and Toushiro would get back together eventually, and he didn't have any issues with helping the process along. "Yeah. Let her know the President's not going to ask the democrats to unilaterally drop soft money."

Shunsui nodded. "Make that clear."

"And also take her temperature on the ethics thing," Jyuu added.

"Okay." Toushiro looked a little concerned. He glanced between Jyuu and Shunsui before heading back into the Oval Office.

Shunsui smiled. He had been a co-conspirator in the 'Get Momo and Toushiro Back Together' plot.

"See you later. Nanao's stalling my appointment."

Jyuushiro just shook his head. "Kiyone!"

His assistant appeared. "Yes."

"The list of names I gave you before?"

She nodded. "Chiba, Iwara, Ishikawa, Matsutani, Morita, Toriyama, and Tanaka."

Jyuu blinked at her. "You didn't have to memorize them."

Kiyone just shrugged. "I couldn't help it."

"Okay."

"My mind works that way."

"Yes, call their offices. I want to see one representative apiece at two o'clock. I want them as a group."

"In the office?" Kiyone asked.

"In the press briefing room." He headed back towards the Oval Office.

"Jyuushiro."

"Yeah?"

"What do those seven people have in common?"

"Don't worry about it." He went back inside the Oval Office. Hopefully Gin and Saido were done arguing by now.


	76. You and Me

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

** You and Me**

Toushiro stood on the sidewalk with his hands shoved in his pockets, watching the beautiful woman seated on the picnic blanket. Momo Hinamori was still as beautiful as when they first met, though he was far more wary of her now. Things had certainly changed. Now she was Congresswoman Hinamori, and they were divorced.

Momo smiled at him. "It's a beautiful day."

Toushiro nodded. "Yes."

"This is nice. It's like a picnic."

He made no move to get any closer to her blanket. "There are restaurants, you know, indoors, with waiters and tables."

Momo patted the blanket beside her. "You should come sit next to me."

Toushiro arched an eyebrow at her. "I'm wearing a suit."

Momo just shrugged. "So am I."

"I'm a responsible adult."

"I'm a member of the United States Congress," she responded.

Toushiro smirked. "I rest my case."

This time Momo rolled her eyes at him. "You know what I got?"

"What?"

She pulled a tupperware container out of her bag. "I got pie."

Toushiro just sighed, "Momo."

His ex-wife just sighed and opened the container. "Toushiro, I've got really good pie. It's homemade."

"You baked a pie?" he asked.

"No, I didn't mean I made it in my home."

Toushiro shook his head. "Let's go."

Momo put the lid back on the container and slipped it back in her bag. "This pie was baked for me by one of my constituents."

Toushiro gave her a questioning glance. "And you trust it?"

"Well, that's why I was hoping you'd eat it first."

"Momo."

She rose to her feet and picked up the blanket folding it neatly. The two of them started to walk back towards the White House.

"Want to talk about the F.E.C.?" Momo asked.

"The President's not going to ask anyone to give up soft money unilaterally."

Momo just shrugged. "You're still going to hear from Haida and Oshima."

Toushiro just shrugged. "Yeah.

"Probably from Ide, Tono, Toba…probably Usaka, Utagawa…"

"Soma," Toushiro added.

Momo nodded. "Yes."

"But we have your people in line?"

"Yes."

"What about drugs?"

Momo shook her head. "That's a different story."

"Momo-" he started.

She cut him off. "Mandatory Minimums are racist."

"One step at a time."

"It's part of the same step."

"Treatment."

"I'm saying Mandatory Minimums-"

This time he cut her off. "I know what you're saying. I don't want to talk about Mandatory Minimums."

"The Sentencing Commissioners…"

She just was not going to leave the subject alone.

"Momo, I don't want to-"

"...proposals regarding cocaine recommend that relative federal mandatory

Minimums sentencing crack users-"

Toushiro cut her off again. "This is what happens. This is what you do. I say I don't want to talk about Mandatory Minimums and we talk about Mandatory Minimums anyway. You hijack my ability to make that decision for myself, Momo. And making decisions for myself is my birthright!"

She gave him a tolerant look. "Good to get that off you chest there, Grumpy?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

He just sighed. "You don't have a problem with what Jyuushiro's going to do?"

Momo just smiled. "No, but I want to be there."

"Why?" He was a little suspicious.

"Just for fun." His ex-wife shrugged.

"It's not fun, Momo."

"Okay."

Toushiro wasn't sure she understood. "It's not fun."

"I said okay."

"Not everything is fun-"

"Okay!"

"If you want to be there, you can be there, but this is a serious thing." He just wanted to make sure that she understood that.

"Can I bring my pie?" She asked brightly.

"Momo." Toushiro sighed. This woman drove him crazy.

"I'm just saying it's a serious thing. There might not be any food there."

He just rolled his eyes. "Can you walk faster, please? I really don't like to be outdoors this long."

Momo snorted, but she sped up her pace as they headed for the White House. The walk was actually completed in companionable silence. There were some moments when he and Momo still got along. If Toushiro was honest with himself, he was still in love with her. But things had just gotten too difficult, and they had gone their separate ways. Together, they made their way through the West Wing to the press room. There were a number of people sitting in the seats normally filled by reporters while Rangiku and her aide guarded the doors. Toushiro and Momo had entered from the back and so no one had noticed their presence.

Jyuushiro strode into the room. "Good afternoon. I'll make this as quick and direct as I can. There's a chance-"

He was cut off by one of the men. "Why are we in the Press Room?"

Jyuushiro just shrugged. "This will be pretty fast, Kenji. Faster still if I'm not interrupted. There's a chance that a debate is about to begin over the best way to fight the drug problem in this country. The White House, being among those, who believe more money should be put into treatment. The people you work for, being among those who believe we should put more money into prisons."

"Jyuushiro, why the seven of us?" another man asked.

"Shiro, in July of '96, your boss's son was arrested for carrying twenty-five grams of cocaine. That's a crime that usually carries what, Toushiro?"

"Eight to fifteen years," Toushiro supplied.

"And what did the Congressman's son get?" Jyuushiro asked.

"Six months house arrest."

"Nami, your boss's husband was caught stealing Vicodin and Percocet from the hospital at which he served as Chief of Thoracic Surgery. Now, Vicodin and Percocet are schedule-two drugs in the same legal category as Opium. What was the blue-book value, Toushiro?"

"Each stolen pill carries the penalty of one year in prison and a monetary fine."

"And what did we have for the Congresswoman's husband?"

"He went to a pre-trial diversion program. There's no longer any criminal record."

Jyuu smiled. "That's not bad."

"Jyuushiro, I-" Kenji started.

Jyuushiro cut him off. "Kenji, yours is my favorite. Your boss has a daughter who was pulled over with 31 grams of coke and charged with intent to deliver. More over, she's just been indicted by a federal grand jury in Greenville, South Carolina, along with 18 other people for conspiracy to distribute. Toushiro…"

"She paid a fine of $2800 and forfeited her car in which the drugs were found," he supplied the young woman's sentence."

"The President wants a lively debate," Jyuushiro informed the group as he signaled Rangiku. "He wants to hear opposition, but he's not going to stomach hypocrisy. We start hearing "soft on criminals", "soft on drugs" from any of the people you work for, we've got seven stories ready for page one."

Rangiku let the press into the room.

"You're saber-rattling," Kenji accused.

Jyuushiro just shrugged. "Here comes the White House Press Corps. Let's find out."

Kenji frowned. "We're done here."

The seven aides got up to leave. Jyuushiro nodded.

"You play the full nine innings at this level, Kenji. Tell your friends about it.

Rangiku's assistant spoke up, addressing the press. "Take your seats, please. Rangiku will start the briefing shortly."

Toushiro took that as his and Momo's cue to slip out the bag. Momo was smiling.

"Can I tell you something?"

Toushiro sighed. "Listen-"

"Watching you guys do that-"

"Momo."

"It was a little fun," she grinned.

"That was not fun," he told her.

"You should've had some pie."

Toushiro just sighed again. "I have to get back to work. And you, being a Congresswoman, I'm sure you need to be back out there, you know, screwing the people."

Momo rolled her eyes. "I should tell you something."

"What?"

"In the interest of full disclosure." It seemed like she was stalling.

"What?" Toushiro repeated.

Momo looked away. "The other night, I was out on a date. We had a couple glasses of wine. He pulled the car up, bumped the guy ahead of us. The cop was there. He was going to give him a blood-alcohol test, but then he recognized me."

Toushiro just shrugged. "That's fine."

"I'm just saying-"

He cut her off. "You didn't say, 'Officer, I'm a member of Congress, isn't there anything we can do about this?'"

She shook her head. "No."

He frowned. "Who were you out with?"

Now Momo looked really uncomfortable. "A guy named Shinobu Eishima."

Toushiro knew that name. "Yeah."

She nodded. "Yes."

They had stopped walking at this point.

"You went out on a date with the executive advisor for the Baltimore Orioles?" He asked, incredulous.

Momo frowned at him. "Toushiro, are you upset that I went out on a date? Or are you upset that I went out on a date with someone who plays in the same division as the Yankees?"

"Honest to God, I'm not sure." He waved her into his office.

"Mandatory Minimums, Toushiro," she changed the subject.

"What are you doing getting into cars with guys that have been drinking?" he demanded.

"Cause I'm a grown woman-"

"That's what taxicabs are for."

"…and I will get into whatever car-"

"And also, I can still do that."

She stopped talking and just stared at him. "You'd come pick me up with a date?"

"If it wasn't an Oriole, absolutely. Or a Red Sock. In fact, just date the National League, would you?"

They stared at each other for a moment before Momo spoke again.

"Toushiro, I'm not kidding. Mandatory Minimums."

He sighed. "Go away."

"It's good seeing you," she smiled.

She kissed his cheek before heading towards the door.

"Momo?" he said before she got out the door.

She turned back around. "Yes?"

"Let me have the pie."

Momo sighed and handed him the container with the pie before walking out the door. But she hadn't been quick enough to hide her smile as she walked away. Toushiro just stood at the door watching her go. It had been good to see her again. Not that he was going to tell Jyuushiro and Shunsui that. He wasn't about to encourage their matchmaking.


	77. Preparations

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

** Preparations**

Urahara sighed as he and his staff continued to prepare for tonight's town hall session. They were gearing up for the election season, even if it was a ways a way.

"You could tag Congress as being obstructionist, but you have to first list your own accomplishments, or else you won't have any credibility," Kukaku told him.

Gin entered the room as Kisuke came up with, "Expanding healthcare coverage for five million more poor children."

Kukaku nodded. "Yes."

"Making healthcare portable for people who change jobs."

"You can also list the agenda for the coming year," Kukaku suggested.

Kisuke turned to his press secretary. "You know what's hard about all this, Rangiku?"

She looked up from her note pad. "Sir?"

Urahara smiled. "I'm rehearsing here without the pitcher and glass. It's totally weird for me."

Rangiku rolled her eyes at him. "Yeah."

"How do you feel about him taking off his jacket?" Kukaku asked.

Gin shook his head. "No."

"I like it."

"It'll look staged."

"Not if he does it at the right moment."

"What's he going to do, throw it over his shoulder?"

"Maybe."

"I'm also not wild about the hand-held mike. Can we get him wired?"

Kisuke decided to remind Kukaku and Gin that he was there in the room with them. "No, because with the mike and the stool and the jacket thrown over my shoulder, I can do the town hall and then do a couple of sets at the Copa."

There was a knock at the door before Rukia strode in with Ichigo trailing after her. His nice grinned at him.

"Hey."

"My musical director, Rukia Kuchiki."

"Are you working?" Rukia asked.

Kisuke just shrugged. "We're down to do I or do I not take my jacket off."

He wanted out into the hallway so they could chat.

Rukia just grinned at him. "Do you want to know what I think?"

"I honestly couldn't care less. Listen, I want you to come with us tonight."

Rukia sighed.

"Uncle Kisuke, I was…" her voice trailed off. "Are you sweating?"

Kisuke shrugged. "I'm fine."

She frowned at him. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Did you take your pills?" She demanded.

"Rukia!"

She just shrugged at him. "Fine, then, go ahead and collapse."

Kisuke frowned. "Are you channeling your aunt, now?"

"Uncle Kisuke."

"Come to Virginia tonight," he cajoled.

"I can watch it on TV."

"It's not like being there in person."

"You're going to talk about me, and the camera's going to go on me, and my face is going to turn red, and it's just going to be awful for me."

Urahara grinned. "Bonus. Then it's settled."

His niece just rolled her eyes. "Listen. Ichigo wanted to say something during prep."

"Okay." Urahara just shrugged.

"I'm going to go see Aunt Yoruichi."

"And you're coming tonight."

Rukia sighed. "Yes."

"Thanks, sweetheart." He nodded at Tatsuki, Rukia's secret service agent, before heading back into the room. "All right, everyone, we're done. Thanks very much."

His staff headed out, and Urahara waved Ichigo over. "Ichigo, Rukia said you had something you wanted to mention?"

The young man blinked. "I'm sorry, sir?"

"Rukia said you had something you wanted to mention," he repeated.

Ichigo shook his head. "No, sir."

"Are you sure?" Urahara asked.

Ichigo nodded. "Yes, sir. "there was just, I'm sorry, sir, there was just a misunderstanding."

Urahara nodded. "Okay."

He watched the young man leave, wondering just what was going on there.


	78. Problems With Romance and Work

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

** Problems With Romance and Work**

It didn't take Ichigo long to catch up with Rukia and Tatsuki. He wanted to get this dealt with before it happened again. That had been rather embarrassing, and he didn't like being put on the spot with the president like that. He wasn't really part of the senior staff like everyone else, and it wasn't really his place to provide the president with suggestions.

"Hey, Rukia, can I talk to you for a minute?"

She shrugged. "Yeah?"

"I can't believe you did that," he told his sort of girlfriend.

Rukia just shrugged again. "You needed prompting. I can't believe you chickened out."

"I didn't chicken out. And I didn't need prompting. It just wasn't appropriate."

Ichigo led her into Shunsui's office for some privacy. "I don't have the same relationship with your uncle that you have. I don't have the same relationship that the staff has."

Rukia rolled her eyes. "I don't think it's out of line for you to put your two cents in."

Shunsui walked into his office looking a little puzzled. "Hi."

"I'm sorry, we were just using your office for a minute," Ichigo told him.

Shunsui just shrugged. "You can keep fighting in just a second. I just need to find something."

"I also don't think it was out of line for me to stick up for you, since you were clearly chicken," Rukia insisted.

"Rukia, I work in a building with the smartest people in the world-"

Shunsui chose that moment to sit down. Unfortunately for him, there wasn't a chair behind the desk, and he promptly fell to the floor. Tatsuki popped her head into the room looking concerned.

Shunsui sighed and sat up. "Nanao!"

His assistant strode into the room, took one look at her boss, and rolled her eyes. "Hi."

"How you doing?"

Nanao just shook her head. "We should get something temporary so that doesn't happen."

"Yeah."

Ichigo and Rukia shared a look before walking out. It was probably better to leave those two alone.

Ichigo picked up the conversation. "Anyway, I wish you wouldn't do that anymore."

Rukia rolled her eyes at him again. "Okay. But you're wrong. I'll see you later."


	79. Callback

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

** Callback**

Kisuke had been musing over the issue for a while when Ichigo entered the office.

"Mr. President?"

"Yeah?" Kisuke looked up from where he was sprawled on a couch.

"Admiral Muguruma told me that he's on his way over."

"Thanks." So much for that nap he'd been thinking about.

"Would you like anything?" Ichigo asked.

"No. Hey, what was it that Rukia was talking about before?" he asked as he sat up.

"It was nothing, sir."

Somehow Kisuke rather doubted that. "What was it?"

Ichigo fidgeted. "It was uh, it was a report that's been sitting on your desk for a few weeks."

Urahara blinked. "It has?"

"Well, my desk, really. And so, I was reading it, and so I was reading it, and during prep this week, you've been having discussions with the senior staff about youth participation in the political process. You were saying—"

Kisuke cut him off. "What's the report?

"It's from a group called the Center for Policy Alternatives. And there's some things that hit home with me, and I mentioned it to Rukia, and that's why-"

Ms. Tsumugiya entered the room interrupting them. "Mr. President?"

"Yeah?"

Ururu smiled. "Chairman Muguruma."

Urahara nodded. "Thank you."

Ururu returned to her desk.

Kisuke frowned. He was out of time, but it was clear that whatever was in that report had really struck a chord in Ichigo, and he trusted the young man's judgment. "Ichigo, whatever it is, stick it in my briefcase, would you?"

Ichigo nodded. "Yes, sir."

Kisuke smiled as Ichigo left the room. "Thank you."


	80. Just Another Night

**Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.**

* * *

**Just Another Night**

It had been a busy week. Things had been crazy in general, and then there was the ongoing issues with the space shuttle plus the fact that it was beginning to be time to gear up for the election. Which was one of the reasons Urahara was holding this town hall. Then again, these were the sort of the events he loved doing.

"Here's another one. Two politicians are having an argument. One of them stands up and says, "You're lying!" The other one answers, "Yes, I am, but hear me out.""

The audience laughed, and the moderator grinned as he asked. "Mr. President, do you have time for one more question?"

"I don't think I answered the last one. Shizune's got me telling jokes. Here's an answer to your question that I don't think you're going to like the current crop of 18-25 year olds is the most politically apathetic generation in American history. In 1972, half of that age group voted. In the last election, 32%. Your generation is considerably less likely than any previous one to write or call public officials, attend rallies, or work on political campaigns. A man once said this, "decisions are made by those who show up." So are we failing you, or are you failing us? It's a little of both."

Urahara shrugged. "…there's a guy on my staff who showed me a report from the Center of Policy Alternatives that said 61% of your age group agree with the statement "Politicians and political officials have failed my generation. When asked how older generations see you, your answers were "lazy", "confused," and "unfocused".

"What's that source?" a reporter asked Shunsui.

"The Center of Policy Alternatives. Rangiku will have copies for the bus ride back," Shunsui told him.

Urahara was still talking.

"When asked how you see yourselves, your answers were "ambitious", "determined", and "independent"." Urahara glanced over at Ichigo who was standing in the wings. "Uh, I want to continue with this, but there was some debate amongst my staff earlier today as to whether or not I should take off my jacket. Some thought that it would fit in nicely with the folksy atmosphere of a town meeting, others thought that it wouldn't be presidential. Can I trust you all to read nothing more into it than I've been talking for two hours and it's a little hot under these lights?"

The audience applauded as Urahara took off his jacket. Gin looked up from the notes he was reading. He had a great review from the auditorium's sound system control room. Urahara continued talking.

"See all that ambition and determination doesn't translate into political action, Suzanne."

Hiyori tapped Gin on the shoulder. "Where's Toushiro?"

"Why?"

"He's got a phone call."

"From who?"

"Kugo Ginjo."

Gin blinked. That would be about the space shuttle. "Give it to me."

"…that tax burden has crept further and further down the income and age ladder. And benefits are going more and more to the elderly and well-to-do. Totaling all payments to individuals..."

Toushiro was watching the town hall from a monitor in the lobby when Gin found him.

"Toushiro?"

Toushiro turned around. Gin raised his arm up in the air in a wavy motion. Toushiro just sighed in relief and looked down to where Shunsui was standing below.

"No wonder this upcoming generation has turned its back on a government that's forgotten them."

"Shunsui." Toushiro made the wavy arm sign.

Shunsui just grinned and then flagged down Jyuushiro. "Jyuu!"

His best friend frowned. "What's that?"

"It's the signal."

"I thought that was the signal for the other thing?"

Shunsui shrugged. "It's the signal for this thing, now."

Jyuu raised an eyebrow. "When did that happen?"

"It happened just," Shunsui shrugged. "Who cares, Jyuushiro? It's the signal for this thing, now."

Jyuu smiled. "So, we're totally out of the woods?"

Shunsui nodded. "Go tell the President."

Urahara was still talking. "Overall entitlement payments have crowded out public investment in infrastructure and they will have crowded out public investment in education to say nothing of the general quality of life. So college kids are facing a future of having to pay higher taxes. Today's young people aren't exactly living for tomorrow."

Jyuushiro smiled. As Urahara spoke, Jyuushiro walked up in front of a monitor and made "the signal" so Urahara could see it.

"Generation X advocacy group third millennium, 53 of 18 to 25 year olds believe the soap opera General Hospital will outlast Medicare. This from a generation convinced that the generation before them has ransomed their generation's future. That's why my niece Rukia is always mad at me." Urahara's smile grew even larger, and he nodded at Jyuushiro.

The audience laughed. Rukia rolled her eyes and looked down at her father affectionately.

"This is the part where Rukia tries to crawl under a seat to hide. Don't worry about it, sweetie, I'll bring out the baby pictures any second now."

Kenpachi Zaraki approached Tatsuki where she was standing, keeping an eye on Rukia.

"Straight to the car," the head of the President's secret service detail told her.

Tatsuki blinked. "He's not going to work the rope line?"

Zaraki shrugged. "There's a softball game the President wants to watch."

"They show softball on TV?"

Zaraki just shrugged again. "Well, yeah."

"And the president watches it?" He hadn't struck Tatsuki as a softball type of guy.

"He likes to unwind by watching sports on TV."

"Softball."

This time Zaraki just smiled. "Whatever's on."

Tatsuki shook her head and turned her attention back to both the speech and her charge. "Okay."

Down on the main floor, Ichigo walked up to Shunsui in the back of the auditorium.

"Did you hear that?" he asked the older man.

Shunsui smiled. "Yeah."

"He used it."

Shunsui nodded. "Yeah."

"He used the material I told him about." Ichigo looked happy enough to burst.

Shunsui nodded. "Yeah."

"You were right."

Shunsui tilted his head to the side. "About what?"

Ichigo just smiled. "It doesn't go away."

Shunsui's grin widened as he remembered what he'd told Ichigo on the young man's first day.

"Thank you, everyone. God bless you, and God bless America," Urahara concluded.

Shunsui grinned as the staff prepared to head out. "Here we go."


	81. What Kind of Day Has It Been

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**What Kind of Day Has It Been**

Rukia was pretty happy with her life, despite the fact that she was complaining currently. College was going well, she got to see Uncle Kisuke and Aunt Yoruichi on a regular basis, and she now had a great boyfriend. Even if he did need to be pushed to speak up sometimes. Despite the fact that her aunt and uncle were technically minor relations of her brother-in-law, they were the parents she had never really had, and her uncle's staff had more than welcomed her into their close knit group.

"…baby pictures he keeps heckling me with, visa card bills. And look, now he's walking the rope line. If ever there is a chance that he'll pass a crowd of people…" Rukia rather doubted that Tatsuki was actually listening to her, but she had to vent to someone, and her secret service agent worked as well as anyone.

Her uncle looked happy as a clam as worked the rope line. Rukia spotted Ichigo standing near him and waved at her boyfriend. "Ichigo!"

"I saw something," Tatsuki muttered.

"Ichigo apologized to me." Rukia grinned. "A full apology."

Tatsuki was frowning. "I saw something!"

Rukia frowned at her agent, turning to find Tatsuki frantically searching the crowd for something or someone. "Tatsuki?"

Ichigo had just joined them when the woman's eyes widened and she yelled. "GUN!"

The next thing Rukia knew Tatsuki had knocked Ichigo to the groups and shots were being fired. Everything almost seemed in slow motion as Tatsuki pulled her to the ground, yelling, "Get down. Get down!"

Rukia suddenly felt aware of almost everything. She didn't tend to notice as much as she was now, but she couldn't seem to shut her brain off. Agents shoved her uncle back and down. Jyuushiro was being held on the ground with agents covering him. Gin tackled Rangiku to the ground just before a bullet went through the car window behind her. She couldn't see Toushiro or Shunsui anywhere. There was screaming and gunshots all around them. Tatsuki threw open the car door beside them and hauled Rukia inside. Rukia could see agents doing the same thing with her uncle, and from the safety of the car, she could hear an agent yelling.

"Oh, god, we've got people down. People down, people down! Who's been hit? Who's been hit?"


	82. Enroute to Chaos

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Enroute in Chaos**

Kisuke was going his best not to panic, despite his pain and confusion. Beside him in the limo, Zaraki said, "Rukia's secure."

"Get her again," Kisuke demanded.

"She wasn't hit sir. She's-"

"Get her on the radio, please!"

"Sir, she can't talk right now."

"Why can't she talk?"

"She's vomiting in the car."

"Why the hell?"

"It happens, sir, we'll-"

Kisuke cut him off again. "Why is she vomiting?"

The secret service agent shrugged. "It happens. It could be shock."

"Zaraki-"

"She might have got an elbow on the stomach."

"Is Tatsuki with her?"

"Tatsuki put her in the car," Zaraki told him.

"She's not with her?"

"She's got two other agents in the car. They're going to take her back in the White House." Zaraki reassured.

"Why isn't Tatsuki in the car?"

"Tatsuki put Rukia in the car then stayed behind for the ID agent. Mr. President, please."

Kisuke was having trouble catching his breath. "Is anybody dead back there?"

"We don't know, we don't think so."

That was when Kisuke caught sight of Zaraki's hand, blood and wrapped with a makeshift bandage. "What happened to your hand?"

"I got hit."

"Oh God." Kisuke yelled at the driver. "Turn around, we've got to go to the hospital."

"We got to get you to the White House," Zaraki protested.

"We're going to the hospital! Let's go!" Kisuke told him.

"I have to put you inside the White House, Mr. President. This isn't something we discuss."

"This is…my niece is throwing up on the floor in the car behind us. You're losing blood by the liter, not to mention how many broken bones you got in your hand, but let's make sure that I'm tucked in bed before we do anything-"

Kisuke tasted copper in his mouth. Zaraki was peering at him with a concerned look.

"Mr. President?"

That was when Zaraki started searching Kisuke's side. His hand came away bloody. Kisuke tried to process what that meant even as Zaraki order the limo to turn around and head for the hospital.

* * *

Rangiku perched in the back of an ambulance, her head throbbing, still a little dazed and confused. Two paramedics were with her, but she was only understanding about one word in tend that they said.

"Left thigh, nerovasc intact."

"She's stable. Give me some 4 by 4's."

"I'm really fine," she protested. And she was. She had just gotten a minor cut when she'd hit her head.

"Scalp laceration, secondary to fall."

Rangiku rolled her eyes. "I hit my head on the ground."

"No LOC?"

"Somebody pulled me down." She pursed her lips; she was definitely ready to be done with this.

"Are you Rangiku Matsumoto?" One of the paramedics asked.

"Yes."

"Can you tell me what day it is?"

"It's still Monday."

The man nodded. "Okay, Rangiku, you're more shaken up than anything else, I don't think you're going to need stitches but you should find some place to lie down."

"Is the President dead?" she asked. She needed to know what was going on.

The man helping her just shrugged. "I wouldn't know anything about that."

Taking that as a dismissal, Rangiku got down and walked towards one of the police cars, noting the broken glass. Gin came up behind her.

"You all right?"

"What?" She turned around.

Gin grabbed her hand. "Are you all right?"

Rangiku nodded. "Yes. Where's the President?"

"He's on the way back to the White House, so is Rukia, they just put Jyuushiro in the car, you all right?"

She nodded again. "Somebody pulled me down."

* * *

Toushiro frowned, searching for Shunsui. Where on Earth was the man?

"Shunsui! Shunsui!"

Spotting Ichigo, he headed over to the young man. "Hey, Ichigo, are you okay?"

The redhead nodded. "Yeah."  
"Have you seen Shunsui?"

Ichigo frowned. "He got in the car with Jyuushiro."

Toushiro shook his head. "No, he didn't. Shanahan got in with Jyuushiro. Shunsui didn't get in the car."

Ichigo frowned, and Toushiro continued his search. Spotting the back of Shunsui's head on the other side of a ledge, Toushiro made his way over.

"Shunsui! Didn't you hear me shouting for you? I didn't know where the hell you…"

His voice trailed off as he took Shunsui sitting on the ground, gasping for breath and with a hand pressed to his stomach. There was blood everywhere. Toushiro froze for a moment then began yelling.

"I need a…I need a doctor! I need help!"

Toushiro spotted Rangiku and Gin heading his when Shunsui slumped over, passing out.

* * *

Yoruichi Urahara was in a hurry. She had been ever since her agents had told that Kisuke had been shot at. The news that he was being taking to the hospital just increased her sense of urgency. As she came dashing down the stairs towards one of the exits, an agent met her,

"Mrs. Urahara."

"Is he conscious?" Yoruichi asked.

"He's conscious and they're moving him to pre-op. He was hit in the side, entry and exit."

The agent led her out to the car.

"What about Rukia?" Her niece had been with her husband tonight.

"They got her in the car. She's cool. She's on her way to the hospital."

As soon as she was inside the car, it sped off, and Yoruichi was left with nothing to do but wait and worry until she arrived.

* * *

Kisuke was a little disoriented as he found himself being wheeled through the hallways of a hospital on a gurney. Everyone around him seemed to be talking over him.

"He was shot in the abdomen. It's an entry and exit wound," nurse said. "B.P. 134 over 78. Pulse is 108. What's his pulse ox?"

"98," a paramedic replied.

"Mr. President, I'm Dr. Ran'Tao. I'm the trauma surgeon on duty. The exit wound is a good indication we like your vital signs."

Kisuke blinked blearily at the man. "I swear to God if I don't speak to my niece in the next five minutes, I'm going to attack someone."

"She's on her way," Zaraki assured him.

As the group entered a room, Kisuke waved at his secret service agent. "This guy's got about seven broken bones in his hand, by the way. If somebody wants to give him an aspirin or something."

"We're there."

The gurney stopped, and the action around him seemed to increase.

"Okay, sir, we're just going to get you stabilized," the doctor told him.

"Listen, I want you to wait as long as you can before you give me the anesthesia. I need to speak to Jyuushiro Ukitake before you give me the anesthesia," Kisuke told the man.

"He's on his way as well," Zaraki mentioned.

"I need to ask you some questions, sir," the nurse said. "Do you have any medical conditions?"

Kisuke blinked. "Well, I've been shot."

* * *

It was quiet in the West Wing when Kiyone ran into Ururu Tsumugiya.

"Good evening, Ururu."

The other woman smiled. "Good evening, Kiyone."

"The President's not back yet?"

Ururu just shrugged. "I imagine he's schmoozing the rope line."

As they entered the communications' office, Kiyone caught sight of a TV, not really paying attention to Ururu as she watched events unfold.

"You know, he said he's coming straight back, but he can't resist a rope line. Never has. Oh, he'll complain, but he just can't resist it. I remember a time in the Governor's mansion. It was about five years ago-"

"Ms. Tsumugiya." Kiyone grabbed a remote, turning up the volume so they could hear.

"Good evening. We are getting reports that multiple gunshots were fired at President Urahara as he was leaving a public event in Rosslyn, Virginia. The shots were fired approximately seven minutes ago…"

The two women were running out of the office before the report was finished. It wasn't going to be quiet the rest of the night.


	83. Having To Wait

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Having to Wait  
**

Rukia was pretty sure she was in shock. Otherwise she would probably be panicking a lot more than she currently was. She'd been escorted into a hospital room where nurses busy working around her uncle who looked awful.

"Uncle Kisuke?"

Her uncle smiled at her. "I'm okay."

Rukia rather doubted that. "Really?"

"They didn't hit anything. They're just going to look around and make sure."

Rukia bit her lip. "Are you, are you in a lot of pain?"

He shook his head. "No."

Rukia frowned. This was just like her uncle. "Are you lying?"

He smiled. "Yeah, 'cause I want these guys to tell reporters that I was brave and joking around."

"You are brave. You were so good tonight."

He sighed. "Honey, I'm fine. I'm just so happy to see you."

"Aunt Yoruichi is on her way."

"She's going to be pretty pissed."

She managed a small smile. "Yeah."

Jyuushiro chose that moment to show up looking worried. But he took the time to wrap an arm around her shoulders and give her a sort of hug.

"How you doing, kid?"

Rukia shrugged. "I'm fine."

"She booted all over the back of her car. You know they're going to bill me for that."

Jyuushiro managed a small smile at that. "Yeah."

"Honey, do me a favor, will you?" her uncle asked.

Rukia nodded, knowing that there was probably business to be done before her uncle could go into surgery. "Yeah. I'll step outside. I'll go wait for Aunt Yoruichi."

Her uncle managed a smile. "Tell her not to frighten the doctors. I'll see you in a couple hours."

"I love you."

"I love you too, hon."

Rukia slipped out of the room. She could still her uncle and Jyuushiro though.

"Anybody killed back there?"

"The two shooters. They got them through the window," Jyuu replied.

"Anybody in the crowd?"

"There were some injuries. They're coming right now."

"What about our people?"

"Rangiku hit her head on the ground, but other than that…"

Rukia let out a sigh of relief and went to find a waiting room. She flagged down a nurse. Someone should let the staff who would be arriving know where to go when they got here. After explaining things to the nurse, the woman nodded.

"Okay, Rukia. I'll find out."

That was when her aunt came dashing in, and the next thing Rukia knew she was caught up in a tight hug.

"Oh. You're all right?"

Rukia nodded. "Yeah."

She looked up at her aunt. "And Uncle Kisuke's making jokes.'

Her aunt blinked. "Good ones or?"

Rukia shook her head. "No."

Yoruichi just nodded. "Okay. Let's go find that waiting room."

* * *

Jyuushiro made his way through the halls of the hospital towards the waiting room. President Urahara had just gone into surgery, and now he had this whole mess to deal with. No one had really expected the shooting. Yes, Kisuke had gotten threats, but what president didn't? But for the most part, serious threats were dealt with before they even got near the president. He spotted Tatsuki leaning against a wall. The young woman had done a good job tonight keeping Rukia safe.

"You all right?" he asked her.

She nodded. "Yeah."

"Was there someone on the ground?" Tatsuki had been the one to give the initial warning.

She shrugged. "There was a signal. I couldn't give a description."

"Did they close the airports?"

"And Union Station. We've got troopers on the bridges and 300 field agents working Rosslyn. I can't tell them what they're looking for."

They could hear a siren in the distance.

"You got the girl in the car, Tatsuki." And that had been her job. If it weren't for Tatsuki's warning, things could have been a lot worse, but clearly she was beating herself up over what she hadn't been able to manage.

"It's right in front of my face."

"Look," Jyuushiro started, but his words trailed off as nurses came running down the hall to receive a new patient.

"Gunshot wound! No exit!"

"He's got decreased breath sounds in the left. Pulse ox is 92 on 15 liters," a paramedic was telling her.

That was when Jyuu noticed that Rangiku, Toushiro, and Gin were with the gurney. Rangiku caught sight of him, and her face fell.

"It's Shunsui!"

"I've got the hemocue."

Jyuushiro fought his way towards the gurney. "Shunsui!"

"Trauma panel, serial crits…"

"What happened?" Jyuushiro demanded.

Toushiro shrugged. "He was behind us."

"Single gunshot wound, left fifth intercostal space."

Jyuushiro only understand a little of what the medical staff was saying, but he knew it wasn't good. Shunsui had an oxygen mask on and seemed to be semi-conscious.

"I shouldn't be at this meeting."

"Trauma One's ready."

That was when Retsu appeared. "I need a chest tube tray, 32 French."

"Senator…" Shunsui was still mumbling.

Jyuu turned to his wife. "Tell me what's happening!"

Retsu was calm. "I don't have time!"

They had arrived at the treatment room.

"I shouldn't be at this meeting," Shunsui kept going on about some meeting.

"Pulse ox, 88."

"I need to get to New Hampshire."

And suddenly Jyuu realized that Shunsui was stuck in the past. He grabbed his best friend's hand. "You went to New Hampshire. We both did. You came and got me."

Retsu was giving orders. "On my count. One. Two. Three!"

Shunsui was lifted onto the bed, and Retsu leaned over him.

"Shunsui, a bullet collapsed your lung. We're putting in a tube to re-expand it."

"We've got blood in the theroseal."

"Over a liter and out."

"He's bradying down."

Nurses kept giving Retsu updates, and all Jyuushiro could feel was lost. His wife made a shooing gesture at him with her hand, and Jyuu knew he needed to get out of her way and let her work. Still, Jyuu couldn't help but feeling like the world had dropped out from under his feet.

* * *

Yoruichi was lost in thought when the man approached her. She had escaped the waiting room for some time to think. Everything had changed in so short a time. Kisuke was in surgery, and she had just gotten word that Shunsui had been shot as well. Retsu Ukitake was currently working on him.

"Mrs. Urahara?"

She looked up. "Yes."

He smiled at her. "The President's going to be fine."

Yoruichi let out a deep sigh of relief. That was one worry dealt with.

"You can see him in the recovery room in about two hours."

Yoruichi smiled. "Thank you. No organ damage?"

The doctor shook his head. "No ma'am, and blood loss was minimal. Dr. Ran'Tao was able to visualize the entire abdomen, and he's secure with the diagnostic of the laparoscopy."

Yoruichi bit her lip. "What about Shunsui?"

The doctor sighed. "The bullet lacerated his pulmonary artery. They're going to have to stay in and try to repair the artery primarily."

Yoruichi nodded. "Thank you."

Now came the hard part, letting everyone else know what was going on without falling apart. She headed into the waiting room. Yoruichi looked at the waiting group and took a deep breath. Starting with the good news she said, "The President's going to be fine. The bullet seems to have gone out of its way not to hit anything. Now, here's what's happening with Shunsui…"

* * *

Nanao Ise was very aware that she was not acting very much like herself. She had been out of sorts all night, and it had been worse since she had seen the reports on TV. It had been a nightmare getting to the hospital, and she was more than a little relieved when she finally found the waiting room she had been directed to. She entered the room in a rush.

"I'm sorry, they told me I should come back here? I'm sorry. Is there word on the President?"

Everyone just stared at her. But then Rangiku spoke up.

"The President's going to be fine.

"Oh, thank God." Nanao let out a sigh of relief, some of the tension on in her easing. Everyone was still staring at her though. "Oh, thank God, that's the best news I've ever heard. I got here as fast as I could. I had a hard time getting in. I had to find an agent who knew me, and I was shaking. I was just… didn't know-"

"Nanao," Toushiro cut her off. "Shunsui was hit."

Nanao blinked, not understanding. "Hit with what?"

"He was shot in the chest."

"He's in surgery right now," Rangiku added.

It was if she had gone entirely numb. Her brain tried to wrap around the idea. "I don't understand. I don't understand, is - is it serious?"

Toushiro nodded. "Yes, it's critical. The bullet collapsed his lung and damaged a major artery."

Nanao couldn't tell if she was still breathing. A man she didn't recognize spoke up.

"I was just saying, we can't make you very comfortable here, and the procedure's likely to take 12 to 14 hours. We won't know anything until morning. I'm sure there

are things you're supposed to be attending to right now, so if you like we can stay in contact with your homes and offices throughout the night."

The doctor, he must be a doctor, left, and Nanao found herself sitting, though she wasn't really sure when she had decided to sit down. Rangiku came and sat down beside, running a gentle hand up and down her back. That was when Nanao realized she was shaking. But that wasn't surprising. It felt like the world had just ended.


	84. Minor Issues

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Minor Issues**

Toushiro had the feeling that everyone in Jyuushiro's office would rather be somewhere else. He knew that Jyuushiro would definitely prefer to be at the hospital with his best friend. But with the president out of commissions, some one had to take charge and that was falling to Jyuu. Though, Toushiro had to admit it was interesting watching the man argue with Ikumi Unagiya, the Secretary of Defense.

"Muguruma agrees with me, Ikumi," Jyuushiro told her. "Upgrade our DefCon posture and the whole world's going to wake up."

She wasn't backing down.

"The world's already awake Jyuushiro! Look at the TV. Look out the window! They had more than one shooter. We think they had a guy on the ground. If they had one, there's no reason to believe they didn't have more than one. Somebody had to get them into that office. This was not a lonely guy who lived with his cats. There was a plan and one of the things we have to assume is that we're under attack right now."

"Which is why the Vice President should order the 32nd tactical on a ready alert and take us to DefCon 4," her assistant said.

Jyuushiro sighed. "Counsel's office isn't sure he can do that."

Toushiro blinked. "Why not?"

Jyuu just shrugged. "He never signed a letter."

"What letter?"

"Customarily if the President is going to be under anesthetic-" she started.

"He's got to sign a letter giving the Vice President power?" Toushiro thought that was ridiculous.

Ikumi just shrugged. "Absent of the 25th, the Constitution doesn't give it to him unless the President is dead."

"He's hemorrhaging and he's supposed to draft a memo?" Toushiro demanded.

"Yeah."

Rangiku sighed. "I'm getting questions on it."

Ikumi just frowned. "It gets more complicated if you'd read section 202 the National Securities Act of 1947."

"Let's assume I haven't," Rangiku said.

"It says the Secretary of Defense will be the principal assistant to the President on all matters relating to national security," Ikumi told her.

"And what does 'principal assistant' mean?" Rangiku asked.

"It doesn't specify."

Toushiro rolled his eyes. So the president was out of commission, but not dead, and they didn't know who exactly was in charge. Wonderful. "Of course it wouldn't, 'cause that's an area of federal law where he'd want to have as much ambiguity as possible."

The woman just shrugged. "Yeah."

He should get out of here before the conversation drove him crazy. Besides, there wasn't much that he could do here. It would be better to go back to his office and start drafting statements to release to the media. "Excuse me."

Behind him he heard Rangiku say, "I'm going to go back to the hospital."

"I'll be there in a little bit," Jyuushiro told her.

Toushiro headed back to his office, planning on getting back to work.

"I need section 202 of the National Securities Act of 1947," he told Mashiro as he entered the main communications office.

Then he noticed Momo standing by his office door, looking pale and shaky. He wasn't sure why his ex-wife was here, but it was good to see her. Even though he knew she hadn't been at the event, it was good to see that she was all right. He smiled at her.

"Hey, Momo. I didn't know you were here."

"I just…I turned on the T.V." Even her voice was shaky.

Toushiro suddenly realized that she had been scared and worried for him, and her hands were shaking.

"It's okay." He paused a moment. "Come here."

He wrapped her in a hug. Momo shuttered a little and leaned against him.

"It's okay," Toushiro told her.

"I'm sorry."

He kissed her forehead. "You all right?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

"I need to get back to work. Do you want to hang around for a while?"

She nodded. Toushiro smiled.

"Come on into my office and find a seat."


	85. Stuck In Shock

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Stuck in Shock**

Nanao couldn't remember ever feeling so lost before. Not even when her older sister had disappeared. Not even when she had learned she would have to give up college. Even then she had been able to plan and do something about her situation. But right now she found she could barely even think. When Lisa had disappeared, Nanao had helped plan and implement searches, ran an informational campaign, and handle the normal household matters for her parents who had just fallen apart. When she had lost her funding for college, Nanao had searched for jobs, looking for something that would be meaningful to her, and then she had driven to New Hampshire to join Kisuke Urahara's presidential campaign. She had talked Shunsui Kyoraku into hiring her. And since then he had been the one major constant in her life. Now she might lose him, and Nanao found herself completely lost.

The waiting room was pretty empty at this point. Most of the others had work to do at the White House. Nanao wasn't even sure what she should be doing. They had never had a situation even remotely similar to this before, and for once, Nanao was not sure of the actions she should take.

"Nanao?" She jumped a little at the First Lady's voice and looked up. "Do you want to throw some water on your face?"

Nanao just shook her head. She met Yoruichi Urahara's eyes. "You know, I should ask. Is there anything I'm supposed to be doing right now?"

The older woman shook her head. "No."

"I mean, anything that Shunsui's office is supposed to be doing? Should I be making sure it's farmed out?" Having something to do might actually help.

"No, I'm sure it's being covered." Yoruichi frowned at her. "Jyuushiro's heading back here shortly. I'm going to go make sure Rukia got back to the White House all right. She and Ichigo were going to find some things for Kisuke. Do you need anything?"

Nanao pursed her lips. "Shunsui's overnight bag is in the staff locker room. I'd like to have that ready in case he needs it."

"What about something for you? Do you need something to eat or anything from the office?"

Nanao just shook her head. "No, I'm fine."

It was far from the truth, but the only thing that would make her feel better was Shunsui surviving his surgery. Until then, Nanao was simply stuck.


	86. Little Things

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Little Things**

Rangiku found Gin in his office when she went looking for him. It was early in the day, and she hadn't gotten any sleep yet, but she had wanted to do this before heading back to the hospital. Shunsui's surgery was almost over, and it wouldn't be long before he was allowed visitors. The entire ordeal had been mostly awful, but at least there had been some little things that were

"Hey, Sparky."

Gin looked up mildly panicked. "Oh, God, what did I do?"

Rangiku just smiled. "Take a walk with me, would you?"

"They're taking him off bypass now," she told him.

Gin nodded. "Yeah, I just heard. I'm going to head to the hospital."

"You did well on the morning shows."

Gin just shrugged. "Thanks."

"I told Jyuushiro the reason I didn't want to do it was that it didn't feel right with Shunsui still in surgery."

"Yeah."

"You know what the real reason was?" she asked.

Gin blinked at her. "The real reason?"

"Yes." She smiled at him.

"No."

"I think you do."

"Listen, Rangiku-"

Ran cut him off. "The real reason I couldn't go on the morning shows and give a first-hand account of what happened is that I couldn't remember what happened. I remember walking out of the building, I remember somebody knocked me down, I know my necklace came off, and I know a police car window exploded over my head. All night long, I've been doing my press briefings using notes from other people's accounts. But it's morning now, and after listening to you on the morning shows, I know what happened."

"Rangiku-" Gin started again.

"Gin. I think you have my necklace."

Gin looked uncomfortable. "I didn't want you to feel beholden to me. I didn't want it to be like an episode of "I Dream of Jeannie" where now you have to save my life…"

"Gin." He really didn't like getting caught doing something nice. Or life saving in this case. Rangiku had never quite been sure why that was, especially since he kept doing nice things for her.

"…the time-space continuum, where you have to follow me around with coconut oil and hot towels-"

Rangiku arched an eyebrow at him. "Coconut oil?"

Gin shrugged again. "I'm just saying."

"Gin, I don't feel beholden to you."

He blinked. "Why not? I saved your life."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Can I have my necklace back?"

It was one of her favorites. Actually, it had originally been a gift from Gin for her college graduation. She grinned as he pulled it out of his pocket then leaned in to fasten it around her neck.

"Thank you." She kissed his cheek.

He nodded. "I'll be in my office."

"Gin?" She bit her lip.

"Yeah?

"Were you scared?"

He paused a moment then wrapped her in a tight hug. "Yes."

She hugged him back. She hadn't realized how much she'd needed that. "Me too. Thanks."

They had managed to survive this one, and it sounded like Shunsui was going to be okay. She let go of Gin with a sigh. Time to get back to work.


	87. Morning Light

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Morning Light**

Kisuke insisted on being there despite the fact he hasn't been released from the hospital yet. His injuries were relatively minor, and he could walk on his own. He blamed himself slightly for the situation. Shunsui probably wouldn't have been shot if he didn't work for the President, but he also knew that this was what Shunsui wanted to do, and that he felt like he belonged working in the White House. Still, getting shot wasn't in his job description.

Shunsui looked frail laying there in the hospital bed with his eyes closed. Nanao Ise was there at Retsu Unohana's instance. The young woman had been given a chair on Shunsui's right side, and one of his hands was clutched in her own. Kisuke doubted that she was going to let Shunsui out of her sight any time soon.

The little room was actually quite full. Besides Retsu, there were several other doctors and nurses present. Jyuushiro was also there. It had been a minor miracle that Retsu had managed to save Shunsui. They had nearly lost him twice during the operation, but he had pulled through and made it through the night.

Retsu leaned over the man. "Shunsui, I want you to wake up."

There was no response. The doctor turned to Nanao. "If you would please?"

Nanao leaned in a little closer to her boss and spoke softly in his ear. It got an immediate response. Shunsui opened his eyes slowly, looking around. The first thing his eyes landed on was Nanao before he continued glancing around the room. There was a sight of relief from the assembled group. He muttered something that wasn't quite understandable, and Kisuke leaned in closer in order to hear.

"I couldn't hear you, Shunsui."

Shunsui repeated himself. Kisuke pulled back, not quite understanding.

"What did he say?" Jyuushiro asked.

Urahara was still puzzled. "He said 'How much paperwork is this?"

Nanao smiled.


	88. Recovery Process

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Recovery Process**

Rangiku was only listening to Shunsui with one ear as she prepared for her morning briefing. The speakerphone was on, but quite frankly, she was more concerned about finding the papers she needed. Shunsui was out of the hospital, but he was still on bed rest. It was clear that being cooped up in his townhouse was getting to him.

"It's called the Theory of Everything."

"The Theory of Everything?" Rangiku asked absently.

"Yes."

"Is it comprehensive?"

"Rangiku." She could almost hear Shunsui rolling his eyes.

Sitting down at her desk, she began to sort through stacks of files. "That was a joke there, pal-o-mine."

"I want you to lead with this," Shunsui insisted.

"Misato, I'm missing the OMB stats," Rangiku called to her assistant.

The woman popped into the office for a moment. "They're coming."

"Rangiku, I want you to lead with this."

"I'm not going to lead with it."

"Yes, you are."

She sighed. "Okay."

"So, you got it?" Shunsui asked.

"Sure."

"I mean, you got what you're supposed to say."

"Misato, also the EPA?"

"Committee won't be out 'til 3:00," her assistant called back.

"Rangiku, say it for me."

How could the man be more annoying when he wasn't here than when he was actually in the building?

"He's making me crazy."

"You know I heard that," Shunsui commented.

Rangiku rolled her eyes even though she knew he wouldn't see that. "Yeah, I understand how a speakerphone works."

"Say it for me."

"Shunsui, I really have to get to the briefing room." She reached for her suit jacket.

"Say it please."

"Psychics at Cal Tech and the FERMI National Accelerator Lab are close to announcing what-"

"Physicists!" Shunsui cut her off. "Theoretical physicists at Cal Tech."

Rangiku smiled. "Not psychics?"

"No," Shunsui growled.

Ran grinned to herself. "I should jot that down."

"Please."

"I tell you if it was psychics I'd lead with it." She got up from her desk

"Rangiku," Shunsui started.

Rangiku cut him off. "Talk to you later, mi amor."

She walked out the door, leaving the phone on. She could still hear Shunsui talking even as she walked away.

"I don't think you understand how important this is…"

* * *

Shunsui sighed and hung up the phone. He flipped the TV onto C-SPAN, so he could watch Ran's briefing. It wasn't like he had much else to do. He was going rather stir crazy being stuck here in his townhouse while things were going on, though Nanao did her best to both keep him distracted and make him do paperwork. Still, when she was gone, he got bored easily. It also didn't help that in a week the midterm elections would take place. And they were important this year. President Urahara would have to announce that he was running for a second term, and the political climate of the country would make a difference.

Rangiku's face filled the TV screen. "And as a special treat for our friend, Shunsui Kyoraku, who's recovering very nicely. The President's science advisor is telling us that psychics at Cal Tech and the Fermi National Accelerator Lab…"

Shunsui dropped his head into his hands with a groan.

Rangiku paused on screen. "You know what? I'm pretty sure that was supposed to be physicists."

And he though his job had driven him insane before.

* * *

Nanao had the feeling that she wasn't going to make it out of here without at least one person stopping her. She had dropped by the office to pick up some things that Shunsui could work on from home. That man could use as much distraction as she could get her hands on. The midterm elections were for another two days, but Shunsui was clearly getting antsy about them. It didn't help that he had very little to do except watch the election news coverage.

Nanao herself was feeling rather exhausted. She was running Shunsui's office with a little help from the other assistants and Jyuushiro as well as acting as Shunsui's primary caretaker. There was a nurse that had been hired for the medical things, but Nanao was dealing with meals and generally keeping Shunsui entertained. Quite honestly, she wouldn't have it any other way even if it was wearing her out a little. She had almost made it out of Shunsui's office when Toushiro appeared in the doorway.

"Nanao."

She sighed. "Yes?"

"You going to see Shunsui?" he asked.

"I'm taking him his lunch."

"Can I come?"

Nanao shook her head. "No."

"Listen-"

She cut him off. "No."

"Nanao."

Nanao turned and gave him a stern look. "You know the Rules."

"The Rules are dumb."

"The Rules are not dumb."

The hospital had rules about how many people could visit and when. That had been a good thing for Shunsui's rest and recovery. Unfortunately, his townhouse had no such rules, and when Shunsui had first been released from the hospital, there had been issues with people dropping by at all times of the day and bothering the man. He had almost needed to be readmitted to the hospital due to the stress it was putting his recovering body under. So Nanao had put the Rules in place in order to keep things under control. It helped that she Presidential backing to enforce the Rules as well as Dr. Ukitake's and Jyuushiro's.

"Nanao, seriously."

Nanao glared at him, edging towards the door. "I'm perfectly serious, Toushiro. He's recovering from an attempted murder. He's supposed to be resting and I don't want people going over there getting him worked up."

"I need to talk to him about-"

Nanao cut him off. "The Hate Crimes and how best to bring it to the President. He's got the papers you wrote. He's got the materials you sent him. You've talked to him on the phone ninety-three times a day."

"And I'd like to go to his townhouse and talk to him."

Nanao shook her head again. It was bad enough that Shunsui insisted on doing some work from home. She wasn't about to have him be drawn into something that he didn't need to be more involved in than he already was.

"No."

"Nanao."

She smiled at him. "Maybe if you hadn't said the Rules were dumb."

She swept out the door without waiting for further protests. She still had to pick up lunch and get home to see if Shunsui had managed get himself in trouble yet again while she was gone.

* * *

Shunsui settled down on his front stoop with a bottle of beer in his hand. Nanao sat beside him, her head resting on his shoulder. It was the first time Nanao had let him out of the house since he'd been home. The midterm elections would be ending any minute now, and Gin was on the phone with the White House getting the results. Rangiku and Toushiro as well as Jyuu and Retsu were also here. They were celebrating the fact that the midterms were over and Shunsui had been home a week.

Shunsui glanced over at his best friend and his wife with a grin. It wasn't that often that both Jyuu and Retsu could escape their duties and come to one of these unofficial celebrations. Nanao sipped her own beer, and Shunsui found his thoughts shifting back to his pretty assistant. He couldn't deny the fact that he'd be a mess without her right now, both personally and professionally. This whole getting shot had shaken them both, and Shunsui had come to a few decisions, most of them concerning Nanao and the state of their relationship. But he was planning on waiting until he was mostly recovered before really starting to woo her. Toushiro walked out of the town house and handed Rangiku a beer before finding a spot to sit.

Rangiku sighed and stretched. "It's a nice night for a chance."

Shunsui grinned. "Everybody should have to stay inside for three months so that they truly appreciate the outdoors. I appreciate the outdoors, now. I'm an outdoorsman."

"Shunsui?" Nanao lifted her head off his shoulder.

"Yeah."

"I said I'd let you outside if you'd stop talking about being an outdoorsman and if you stopped talking about Theoretical Physics."

Retsu stifled a giggle from where she was sitting in Jyuu's lap.

Shunsui knew better than to argue with her. He turned to Rangiku. "Aha! You'd thought I'd forget about it, didn't you? Banner headline, five days ago. Model for the Unified Theory solved. Banner headline in the New York Times. You said it wasn't going to be news."

Rangiku changed the subject. "Hey! You're wearing my pajamas."

"Yes, I am."

"Take your coat off, let's see."

Shunsui stood up and shrugged off his coat. The pajama's were pink with a rather riotous floral pattern. They were also about two sizes too big for him.

Rangiku frowned slightly. "Those are too big."

Shunsui nodded, sitting back down next to Nanao. "Yes, they are. All this time I've been working with you, did you also think I was playing power forward for the Cleveland Cavaliers?"

Rangiku shrugged. "I think they look good on you."

"I think you're all freaks," Toushiro said.

Gin finally got off the phone and joined them on the stoop.

"What do you have?" Toushiro asked.

Gin shook his head. "You're not going to believe it."

Rangiku gave him a look and held out a beer. "How'd they go?'

Gin accepted the beer and sat down beside her. "Twelve races, in none of them did the incumbent win. In none of them, did the party that previously held the seat win. You know how it went? Seven to five."

Shunsui blinked. "You're kidding."

"Seven republicans and five democrats?" Rangiku asked just to make sure.

"Yeah."

Shunsui just shook his head. "The house stayed the same?"

Everyone just looked at one another.

Shunsui kept talking, feeling rather incredulous. "After four months and four hundred million dollars, everything stayed the same."

Gin nodded. "Yup."

Shunsui smiled. "Tell me democracy doesn't have a sense of humor. We sit here, we drink this beer out here on the stoop, in violation about forty-seven city ordinances. I don't know, Toushiro, it's election night. What do you say about a government that goes out of its way to protect even citizens that try to destroy it?"

Toushiro grinned. "God bless America."

It was repeated as they all clinked their bottles together. Settling back to enjoy one another's company, Shunsui pressed a kiss to Nanao's temple. He might not be back to one hundred percent yet, but he was on the road to recovery now.


	89. Stress Fracture

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Stress Fracture**

Nanao was worried. It didn't help that at this point there was nothing she could do but wait. She knew that something was wrong with Shunsui. She could also guess what part of it was. She had been the one to take care of him after the shooting, and while he was now physically recovered for the most part, Nanao also knew that he had never talked to anyone about the experience much. She had gotten some snippets from him when she comforted him after nightmares, but that was about it. But it was clear to her that the whole thing was beginning to wear on him.

Things had been off for a while, but no one besides Nanao had really started to notice until recently. She couldn't blame them exactly. Things had been insane lately. There had been the shooting itself, and then the midterm elections, and now they were trying to get ready for Urahara's reelection campaign even if he hadn't out and out said that he was going to run again. Everyone was busy and exhausted. So what was going with Shunsui would have been easy for them to miss at the start. Three weeks ago it had become obvious to more than just her that something was wrong.

There had been half a dozen little crises going on. Not to mention the fact that the lobby had been taken over by a brass quintet booming out music. They had been hired by Toushiro; it was his attempt to get in the Christmas spirit. But Shunsui had been assigned to go over the records of a pilot that had broken away from his air group and all communications contact for some reason. It had been a coincidence that he had the same birthday as Shunsui. Nanao hadn't noticed anything off at first. She had bantered with Shunsui about going to the Congressional Christmas Party since Yo-Yo Ma was playing, and he had responded like normal.

Then that pilot had crashed into a mountain and killed himself. Shunsui had barely had time to look into it when it happened. But he'd seen enough of the file for it have an impact. The pilot had his birthday and had survived ejecting from his plane in a warzone, though there had been injuries. Injuries that had been similar to Shunsui's own. The bagpipers (provided by Toushiro) the next day probably hadn't helped. He had been snapping and yelling at people all day. Nanao had done her level best to keep things running smoothly, but there was only so much one woman could do.

Then five days ago things had gotten worse. She would admit that her excitement about Yo-Yo Ma probably hadn't help. What Shunsui had been worked up about was the fact that there was no more new information on the pilot that had died. He was obsessed with the fact that a perfectly healthy pilot had killed himself. And the fact that everyone else had pretty much moved on bothered him. In fact, he'd been pretty much pissed at every one, and Nanao had started to be seriously worried. She had gone to Jyuushiro at that point. He had said he'd look into things.

But things had really started to implode yesterday, the day of the Congressional Christmas Party. There had been a meeting with the President in the Oval Office. Gin had been trying to convince the President of something. Nanao couldn't be bothered to remember what exactly it had been at this point. Shunsui had known it was a bad idea politically, and he said so. And Shunsui had yelled at the President. It was line that was never crossed, especially not in the Oval Office. Afterwards, Jyuushiro had suggested that Shunsui talk to someone from the American Trauma Victims Association. And then Shunsui had gone to the party. He'd also left early.

This morning he'd come into work with his hand bandaged. He told everyone that he'd broken a glass setting it down last night. Nanao had known better. She had gone straight to Jyuushiro with an ultimatum. Either he did something about Shunsui now or she would. There had been some one from the American Trauma Victims Association here within an hour. Shunsui was in with them now. And Nanao had nothing to do but worry and hope for the best.

She knew why he was trying to keep it all to himself. Shunsui loved his job, and he was afraid that if there was something wrong with him, he would lose it. Nanao didn't think that would happen, but he needed help. And for once, it wasn't help that she could give. That was the hardest part of this for her. Shunsui wouldn't be coming out of that room until the psychologist was done with him, and all she could do was worry and wait. The only thing she was sure of was that she would be here waiting for him when he was done.


	90. Job Security

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Job Security**

It had been one hell of a night. Shunsui was exhausted as he left. He had to admit that it had probably been a good thing though. Even if he wasn't sure being shanghaied into seeing a psychologist was so great, he had probably needed that. He wouldn't have put together the fact that he was reacting to Christmas music like it was sirens and gunshots on his own. But being stuck in that room until he had admitted what had happened with his hand and had talked about the whole experience had been rather grueling. At this point he just wanted to go home. So it wasn't surprising that he just walked back where Jyuu was sitting without noticing.

"How'd it go?"

Shunsui turned to see his best friend. "Did you wait around for me?"

Jyuu gave him a look.

Shunsui just shrugged. "He thinks I may have an eating disorder."

His best friend stood up. "Shunsui."

"And a fear of rectangles. That's not weird, is it?" Shunsui paused. "I didn't cut my hand on a glass. I broke a window in my apartment."

Jyuu smiled slightly. "This guy's walking down a street, when he falls in a hole. The walls are so steep. He can't get out. A doctor passes by, and the guy shouts up 'Hey you! Can you help me out?' The doctor writes him a prescription, throws it down the hole and moves on. Then a priest comes along and the guy shouts up 'Father, I'm down in this hole, can you help me out?' The priest writes out a prayer, throws it down in the hole and moves on. Then a friend walks by. 'Hey Joe, it's me, can you help me out?' And the friend jumps in the hole! Our guy says 'Are you stupid? Now we're both down here!' and the friend says, 'Yeah, but I've been down here before, and I know the way out.'"

Shunsui gave him a confused look.

"As long as I got a job, you got a job, you understand?" Jyuushiro frowned at his hand. "You wrapped that yourself, right?"

Shunsui blinked then raised an eyebrow. "The bandage?"

Jyuu just nodded. "Yeah."

It was Shunsui's turn to nod. "Yeah."

Jyuushiro nodded again. "Okay. Nanao's going to take you to the emergency room."

He blinked again. "She knows?"

Jyuu shrugged. "She was the one who guessed."

Shunsui was once again struck by how special Nanao was. Somehow she had known what he needed even before he did. Then his brain caught up with what Jyuu had just said.

"I don't need the emergency room."

His friend gave him a look. "Come on, it could be infected, you could have a thing."

"What thing?"

Nanao appeared with Shunsui's coat slung over her arm. She just looked at the two men.

His best friend was no help. "How the hell do I know?"

"Jyuushiro-"

Nanao cut him off. "Let's go."

She handed him his coat, and Shunsui shrugged it on.

"See you later."

Jyuu smiled. "Okay."

Side by side, he and Nanao left the White House. Shunsui really didn't want to go to the emergency room. He also knew that arguing with Nanao was probably useless. He tried any way.

"I don't need a doctor."

Nanao looked at him calmly. "Are you a doctor?"

"No," Shunsui had to admit.

"Then be quiet."

As they headed for the parking lot, they passed a group of carolers, and Shunsui paused a moment, remembering his conversation with the psychologist about how two and two can equal a sack of potatoes. Or in his cause how Christmas music could equal sirens and gunshots.

"Shunsui?" Her voice was soft, and she slipped her hand into his.

He refocused on the woman beside him, and not for the first time he marveled at how lucky he was she had decided to hire herself as his assistant and how amazing it was that she cared about him.

"Yeah."

A small smile crossed her face. "Let's go."

"Okay."

He let Nanao lead him away. He'd be okay as long he had her and Jyuu to look out for him.


	91. Keen Observation

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Keen Observation**

It had been a long night so far, and Nanao didn't think it was going to get better anytime soon. In all honestly, she probably should have expected something like this to happen. Most of the senior staff had been getting ready to leave town for a long weekend, so of course there had to be some sort of crisis. That always seemed to be the way things went around here. Their first inkling of trouble had come when Senator Kutsuzawa had walked onto the senate floor and started reading from a cookbook.

The vote was on a bipartisan Family Wellness act, and Senator Kutsuzawa had apparently decided to filibuster it for some reason. No one could figure out why. But a filibuster meant that he couldn't stop talking or he gave up the floor, and the vote couldn't happen until he gave up the floor. It was a Friday, and everyone wanted to go home. But until they could figure out why this was happening and stop it. Of course, it really didn't help anyone's mood that the senior staff all had plans. Rangiku and Gin were off to Sag Harbor for a long weekend. Toushiro was ostensibly off to a conference, but everyone knew the only reason he was going was because it was in Momo's home town. And Shunsui had planned to go to spring training for the Mets, his favorite team.

The filibuster went on and on. By the time it was evening, Kutsuzawa had moved on to the rules of Blackjack, and everyone was going crazy. Nanao sighed as she watched the news coverage. There was something about it that was bothering her somewhat, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Kutsuzawa really had no chance at succeeding. He couldn't sit down or stop talking without yielding the floor. He was seventy-eight years old, and he had a cold. Yet he kept going, and Nanao was pretty certain that something was up.

Spotting one of the communications interns, Nanao flagged him down. "Hey, Uryuu."

"Yeah?"

"You guys record the news feeds coming in, right?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"Could I get a dub of the B-roll they're showing on the Kutsuzawa story? It's three or four seconds, it's a campaign stop, and his grandchildren were with him. The voiceover's talking about his seven grandchildren."

The young man nodded. "Sure. What's the problem?"

She wasn't sure it was anything, so she just shrugged. "It's nothing."

"I'll have it sent up in a few minutes."

"Thanks."

Right after they had gotten the deal for the bill hammered out, Senator Kutsuzawa had asked to see Shunsui. He had wanted forty seven million dollars to fight autism. Nanao knew that it had been one of the things cut in negotiations. She knew that Shunsui had been sympathetic to Kutsuzawa's demands. She also knew that no one wanted to reopen the bill because of the print deadline for the newspapers. So Shunsui had told Kutsuzawa that it wasn't going to happen. And now Kutsuzawa was filibustering. They had to be related.

She was musing on that connection when Shunsui walked into the bullpen. She fell in step beside him, heading for his office.

"Nanao."

She knew he was asking about his flight. "You're booked tomorrow morning, 8:55, United, direct to West Palm Beach."

"Which gets in at?"

"12:58."

"It's still a seventy mile drive to Port St. Lucie. I'll miss the game."

She frowned at him. "I thought they weren't playing yet."

Shunsui just shrugged. "It's an exhibition game."

Nanao blinked. "You're flying to Florida to see the Mets play another team in a game that doesn't count?"

Shunsui shrugged again. "Actually, it's an intrasquad game."

There were times she really didn't understand men. "So you're flying to Florida to see the Mets play each other in a game that doesn't count."

Shunsui grinned. "Yeah."

"Okay." She frowned at her computer screen. "Um, there's a Continental flight out of Dulles at seven A.M. You change planes in Newark."

"I got to fly to New Jersey to get to Palm Beach?"

Nanao rolled her eyes. Shunsui smiled at her and went into his office.

It didn't take long for the audio of the news reel to arrive for her, and as Nanao listened to it, she couldn't help circling back to the fact that the audio mentioned seven grandchildren, but there were only ever six shown in pictures. Why wouldn't the seventh be in the photos. Unless there was something wrong with one of them. Nanao bit her lip; the seventh grandchild was autistic. She had to tell Rangiku.

Thankfully, the woman wasn't that hard to find. She was holed up in her office, trying to make sense of the whole situation.

"Rangiku?" Nanao bit her lip.

The other woman looked up. "Yeah."

Nanao took a deep breath. "Listen, I was looking at the B-roll they're showing on the Kutsuzawa story and there's something that struck me as odd."

Rangiku frowned. "What?"

Nanao was still uncertain that she should mention this, but she couldn't help herself. "They show two different events during his last campaign and his grandchildren are next to him on stage. He's got seven of them."

Rangiku just shrugged. "What's the problem?"

Nanao looked away. "There are only six in the shot. I don't think this is what we think it is. I don't think he's just being ornery. I think he's got a grandson who's autistic."

Rangiku's eyes went wide. "Oh, holy hell. Tell Shunsui. Find out for sure."

"Yes."

It didn't take too long for them to verify it. Rangiku contacted Jyuushiro then insisted on bring Nanao along to the Oval Office. They arrived to find Ichigo waiting out side the office.

"Ichigo?"

"He's just coming over," he told them.

"Thanks. Can we wait?" Rangiku asked.

Ichigo nodded and waved them inside. "Yeah."

They could hear Urahara approaching.

"How does he not just tell me?"

"Sir," Jyuushiro was saying as the pair entered the Oval Office.

"How does he not come to me and say 'Kisuke, this is my grandson and there are lots more like him and there are lots more to come. Can you help us out?'" President was saying.

"Because he-" Jyuushiro was cut off before he could continue.

"Damn it. He knows we would have gotten it done. Why doesn't he tell me?"

"Because he doesn't want to make political hay out of his grandson, which is commendable."

Urahara shook his head. "Nah, he's a crank."

Rangiku stepped forward. "Good evening, Mr. President."

Urahara smiled. "Hey. Hey Nanao, you need something?"

"Nanao's the one who started sniffing around it," Rangiku told him.

President Urahara shot her a look of surprise mingled with pride before turning his attention back to Rangiku.

"Rangiku, he's not going to stop till he drops." The president told her.

"He might," Rangiku suggested hopefully.

"Rangiku, let me tell you something. Don't ever, ever underestimate the will of a grandfather. We're mad men. We don't give a damn. We got here before you and they'll be here after. We'll make enemies, we'll break laws, we'll break bones but you will not mess with the grandchildren. Or in my case the grand-nieces and nephews, but still."

The President looked at her, "Rangiku, if I told you to screw the print deadline what would you want to do right now?"

Rangiku smiled. "I'd want to see if there's a way I could help him out."

Urahara nodded. "Give him some dignity right? And give him a rest. The guy's going to collapse out there."

Rangiku nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Good. Screw the print deadline. Jyuushiro?"

"I'm just asking how we're going to do this."

Nanao knew the answer to that question, but she wasn't quite sure how to get their attention. She wasn't normally included in Oval Office strategy sessions. "Excuse me?"

Jyuu didn't seem to have heard her. "The Chairman's going to gavel him off if he stops talking or sits."

Nanao bit her lip then held up her hand, like in school. "Excuse me?"

Jyuu just stared at her. "What are you doing?"

"I didn't know if I'm supposed to…" Nanao trailed off.

"We usually don't raise our hands," Jyuushiro told her.

"Though it's not the worst idea in the world," Urahara commented.

"The Senator's allowed to yield for a question without yielding the floor," she told them.

Jyuushiro blinked at her. "What do you mean?"

"He's allowed to yield for a question without yielding the floor," Nanao repeated.

Both Rangiku and Jyuushiro looked at Urahara.

The President shrugged. "I was in the House. I know nothing about Senate rules."

Nanao smiled slightly. "Yes sir, but Shunsui does, and he likes to explain things, and, well, I let him."

Rangiku was looking thoughtful. "I'm pretty sure it's true, sir."

"What time is it? Let's wake up a parliamentarian." Urahara was grinning now.

Jyuushiro looked concerned. "Yeah, but the problem is the only people who ask questions are Senators."

"We're going to get one of them to walk in there," Urahara said. "Ichigo!"

"The Senate wants to go home. They want a vote," Jyuushiro reminded him.

Ichigo appeared in the doorway. "Yes, sir?"

"I want to call Senators. We'll start with our friends. When we're done with those two, we'll go on to the other ninety-eight," he told his aide.

"Ichigo," Rangiku caught his attention.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Start with the grandfathers."

"Yes, ma'am."

Urahara shot them a serious look. "Rangiku, no kidding, make this happen."

Rangiku nodded. "Yes, sir."

Rangiku turned her attention to Nanao. "Let's do this."

Nanao smiled and headed to Shunsui''s office, trying to ignore the warm, fuzzy feeling that was bubbling up inside her. They hadn't fixed this yet.


	92. Grown Up

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Grown Up**

The West Wing of the White House was a hive of activity. Everyone was frantically calling Senators, trying to find someone to help out. Everyone was enlisted. You called everyone you had a relationship with, and if you didn't get anywhere, they got a call from the President. And throughout it, Shunsui's gaze kept wandering over to Nanao. His Nanao. He had always known that she was amazing, but this was something special. Even the surprisingly confident young woman who had hired herself as his assistant wouldn't have been able to pull this off. Oh, she might have been able to recognize the problem, but she wouldn't have known what to do about it, and she certainly wouldn't have gone to Rangiku with it.

Nanao had come a long way, and Shunsui had to admit that she had probably out grown her role as just his assistant. Sooner or later he was going to have to find more responsibility for her. She was just too talented to spend the rest of her career as his assistant, even if he wanted to be selfish and keep her for himself. Shaking his head, Shunsui turned his attention back to the task at hand. He could think about the future later. They'd been trying to find someone for about twenty minutes, and they were coming up with nothing.

"Do I have your word on that, Sayuri?" Rangiku's voice rang out. She hung up a phone, looking triumphant. "Got it!"

Senator Tom Takazoe of Washington State was headed from his office to the Chamber. It didn't take long for the staff to flood into the Communications Bullpen to watch it go down. With fourteen TVs playing the same channel, everyone could see what was going on. Nanao slipped her hand into his and squeezed tight. There was one large risk with this plan. Kutsuzawa would have to know as much about rules and procedures as Nanao had and not think that they were trying to screw him. Shunsui mentally calculated how long it would take Takazoe to get there. He didn't think anyone in the room was breathing. They were all fixated on the TV screens where Kutsuzawa was reading the rules of blackjack

"…unless you are counting cards."

"Point of order, Mr. Chairman," Takazoe's voice rang out in the Senate chamber.

The Senate chairman blinked. "Mr. Takazoe?"

"Will the Senator yield for a question?"

"Come on," Gin urged.

"Mr. Kutsuzawa?"

"Come on." Shunsui felt Nanao's hand tighten its grip.

"Trust me just this once, you grouchy old son of a bitch," Urahara muttered.

Kutsuzawa took a deep breath. "Mr. Chairman, I yield to the Senator from Washington for a question."

Takazoe smiled. "My question is in twenty-two parts and might take quite a while. Perhaps you'd like to sit and have some water while I ask it."

The room exploded with cheers and backslapping. Shunsui stole a kiss from Nanao. She let him. They had done it. And there were more senators getting on board. Not to mention they were actually asking questions about autism. Kutsuzawa was getting his rest, and the press deadline was as good as blown. The vote wasn't going happen. Which meant that Shunsui could go back to the Conference Chairman and reopen the bill and find a way to get that autism funding. Rangiku needed to go brief the press about what had happened.

Nanao beamed up at him. This wouldn't have happened without her. At best, Kutsuzawa would have been embarrassed. At worst he might have died from being too stubborn to know when to quit. Shunsui stole another kiss. When they had first met, Nanao told him that she thought she could be valuable. She had more than proved before, but at this point, no one could argue with that fact.


	93. Insanity

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Insanity**

Running a presidential campaign was always rather insane. Running one and trying to a country at the same time was a whole new level of insanity. It didn't matter that the senior staff was no longer solely responsible for running the campaign. Even though there was a dedicated campaign staff, the senior staff also had to be involved in coordinating things. What Urahara the candidate did affected Urahara the President and vice versa. And it did not help when the campaign staff and the senior staff had differing opinions on the matter. Nanao could easily remember an argument just before President Urahara had officially announced that he was going to running for reelection. And it had all been over the choice of a word in a speech.

It had started with one of the campaign staffers, Doug wanted to change words in the speech.

"…'to fall victim to torpor and timidity.' Torpor is not a word a lot of people know."

Gin shrugged. "It means apathy."

"And dullness," Toushiro added.

"I know what it means."

"Doug means-" one of the other campaign staffers started.

"They know what I mean." Doug snapped.

Rangiku had chosen to walk into the room at that moment.

"Hey."

Toushiro nodded at her as she went to perch on the arm of Gin's chair.

"If they don't know what the word means-" Doug started.

"What's the word?" Rangiku asked.

Shunsui offered her a half smile. "Torpor."

Rangiku blinked. "It means apathy."

And dullness," Toushiro added again.

By that point just about everyone was annoyed with the conversation. It really was

rather pointless. But Doug wouldn't let the matter drop.

"I know what the word means. I'm saying if people don't know what the word means-"

"They can look it up!" Urahara announced from the doorway.

"Good morning, Mr. President." Everyone got to their feet.

"It's not our job to appeal to the lowest common denominator, Doug. It's our job to raise it. If you're going to be the "Education President," it'd be nice not to hide that you have an education."

That had ended that particular debate about dumbing down the President's campaign, but to Nanao it seemed like the campaign had just been one thing after another. There had been a bombing at a college. Toushiro, Shunsui, and herself had missed the presidential motorcade and had to get back to Washington D.C. by themselves from Ohio without any help (or most of their luggage). They had a democrat in California running a campaign for a guy who had died after the deadline to submit new candidates for the race had passed. Those were just a few of the domestic things going on.

And it didn't help that Urahara would be running against one Sosuke Aizen. Aizen was popular, younger than Urahara, and came off as genial and everyone's friend. Urahara looked like a nerdy intellectual next to him. Of course, Urahara was a nerdy intellectual, but when it came to running the country Nanao rather thought that was a good thing. But it did mean that the campaign staff thought they had an image problem. It wasn't that Aizen wasn't smart. He was. In fact, he was very smart. But the façade he presented to the public was not exactly one of intelligence, and he tended to make everything into a one side versus the other debate. And Aizen had ranged things in the campaign so it looked like it was he and the ordinary person versus Urahara and the elites.

Of course, it did help that Urahara was very motivated to beat the man. There had been several incidents since the beginning of the race to cause that. Including the fact that the man had something on Gin. In fact, he had pressured Gin to leave the White House and join his campaign. In the end it hadn't exactly worked, and there had been an incident afterwards involving a streaker at one of Aizen's press conferences which Gin would neither confirm nor deny involvement with. There had also been an incident at a play that both Urahara and Aizen had attended. The two men had met during it, and while Nanao hadn't been there herself, almost all the staffers knew the story of what had happened.

There had been an incident earlier in the evening. Rangiku had been getting threats from a stalker. She'd been assigned a Secret Service detail. They had caught the guy just a few hours before head. And then the agent in charge had walked into the middle of an armed robbery and was shot and killed after detaining one of the suspects. The man he previously been on the President's detail, and Urahara had liked him. Somehow the story had come up, and Aizen had said.

"Oh. Crime. Boy, I don't know."

The conversation had gone down hill from there, and Aizen had been insulting. Urahara had got up to return to his seat in the theater, but before leaving he'd turned and said, "In the future, if you're wondering, 'Crime. Boy, I don't know' is when I decided to kick your ass."

Nanao was pretty sure that they were going to just that, but first she was going to have to make sure that Shunsui and Gin didn't blow up the local campaign office during while President Urahara made his speech. When she had started working during the first campaign, she really hadn't realized that she was signing up for several years of insanity. Still, she was more than willing to commit to another four years of it.


	94. Practice Sessions

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Practice Sessions**

Preparing for a national televised debate was an interesting process. Especially when the President had the tendency to get cranky at practice sessions. However, there was a lot on the line. Which candidate won this debate would be important, and everyone was feeling the pressure. Shunsui was just glad that he wasn't currently the one asking questions that was Gin's job.

"Affirmative action and quotas are about two different things. Affirmative action is about providing people an opportunity they might not otherwise get."

Gin nodded. "I don't know how you can talk about providing opportunity, while at the same time supporting racial profiling."

Urahara blinked. "What that hell is? I don't support racial profiling."

"Your nominee for Attorney General did. Can you tell us why you nominated him?"

"Why?" Urahara was looking annoyed.

"Yes." Gin nodded again.

"'Cause bite me, that's why."

Just about everyone in the room winced.

Rangiku spoke up. "It's a legitimate question."

Urahara sighed. "It's been almost four years Gin, how long do you want to say 'I told you so?'"

Shunsui figured it was time to speak up. "He wasn't saying "I told you so," sir. We need an answer on Ginjo."

"What wrong with 'bite me?'"

"I think we'd lose."

"Not in New Jersey," Toushiro said.

Shunsui grinned.

"It's never been shown that racial profiling works, and I'm against it." Rangiku offered.

"That answer's pretty simple, isn't it?" Shunsui asked.

"We can make it more complicated," Rangiku shrugged.

Momo Hinamori spoke up then pointing out that some people did believe it worked. Shunsui wasn't entirely sure why she had been included today. She was one of their supporters, and congresswoman would be at the debate lending her support, but he had the feeling that there was something more going on there. Momo and Toushiro had been a lot closer since the shooting. Something was up between the two of them these days.

Rangiku was still arguing about the question and response. "Yeah, but Aizen will bring it back to Ginjo and the fact that you don't know what your position on racial profiling-"

"I do know what my position is," Urahara insisted.

Toushiro sighed. "We're losing the question. Fundamentally, it's 'What was the story with Ginjo?'"

Rangiku shrugged. "We gave him our full support until it became clear that an increasingly divided Congress was going to shoot down our nominee."

"We didn't give him our full support. We withdrew the nomination," Toushiro argued.

"Why not blow past the nomination fight and give a strong," Shunsui started suggesting.

"Blow past the nomination fight?" Rangiku interrupted.

"and give a strong, unambiguous statement in support of law enforcement?" Shunsui finished.

Toushiro just shook his head. "'Cause that's not going to be the vote."

"Nobody's for stronger, fairer law enforcement?" Shunsui asked.

"That's not going to be the question," Toushiro said.

"Why not just say we screwed up?" Gin offered. "'Mr. Ginjo's a devoted crime fighter- we had our differences- but on this, all Americans can agree—"

Urahara interrupted him. "Excuse me."

Gin blinked. "Yes sir?"

The President was frowning. "Were you doing me just then?"

Gin looked slightly uncomfortable. "I was offering an answer."

"You were doing me."

"I may have slipped into it, yes."

Urahara rolled his eyes. "Anybody else do a pretty good Urahara? It's talent night here at Debate Camp, anybody want to do a little skit?"

Shunsui sighed. Just what they needed, another debate over Urahara impressions. But it didn't escape his notice that Momo and Toushiro had slipped out of the room together. He rather thought it was good idea. They could all use a break.

* * *

Toushiro followed his ex-wife out of the room. Things had been different between them since the shooting eight months ago. They had been closer. Toushiro wouldn't call it dating since it really was far more than that, but they had never really bothered to redefine their relationship either. He wanted to change that now. Especially now. It wasn't enough that they were just involved.

"Momo."

She turned to him. "Yeah?"

He took a deep breath. "A couple of things. I need you to look at a couple of answers on defense readiness. I need concrete examples of waste in Pentagon procurement. We need two more members of the IRC for post spin. I need you to fill out this marriage license and paperwork for a joint checking account and review this 60-second answer on Rwanda."

She arched an eyebrow at him. "Okay, okay, okay and um, under no circumstances, and sure."

"See, by my count, you said under no circumstances to the IRC post spin and sure-"

Momo cut him off. "I said under no circumstances to marrying you again."

"May I ask why?"

"I've had the unique experience of having done it once before."

Toushiro fidgeted slightly. He knew she still cared about him. Even if things had ended badly last time around. "Yes, well-"

She cut him off again. "I have to get to the things you gave me. A person's running for President."

He watched her walk away. Moments later Gin appeared at his elbow. His deputy looked a little worn.

"Hey, that was good, Gin." Toushiro told him. "Stay up in his face. Don't back off."

"You want to shoot for two minutes? There's a hoop in the back." Gin asked.

Toushiro shrugged. Might as well. It at least would be an outlet for some of their stress. "Yeah."

Shunsui joined them moments later with a basket ball. "He's right. Don't back off."

That comment was addressed to Gin.

Toushiro's deputy just shrugged. "Yeah. So, what's going on with you and Momo?"

Toshiro just shrugged again. "Nothing."

Gin smiled. "I think you're wrong."

He really didn't want to discuss this. "I'm not."

"I think you're getting back together." Gin pressed.

"We're not."

"But you want to."

Toushiro just sighed. "Yes."

"I think-" Gin blinked. "Wait. What?"

Toushiro almost smiled. "See, sometimes if I slam on the brakes, you run right past."

Shunsui was beaming at him. "Okay, fill us in on everything you've got so far between the two of you."

Toushiro rolled his eyes; he should have just kept his mouth shut. Now they were going to try and meddle. "Yeah, that's what's going to happen right now."

He didn't manage to get away from them without imparting some of the details. Toushiro was just glad that Rangiku wasn't involved yet. For some reason he had never been able to keep much of anything from her. Once she got involved (and he had no doubt that she would sooner or later), Toushiro doubted he'd be able to keep the whole story quite. Still, he managed to escape Gin and Shunsui's good intentions and meddling for a while. The campaign was going fairly well these days. The main issue was at this point Aizen and Urahara were about even in the polling. Who won the debate coming up would make a huge difference. They just had to make sure they won the debate.

"Toushiro?" Ichigo's voice rang out.

Toushiro looked up. "Yeah?"

"You heading to dinner?"

"Yeah."

The young man fell in step beside him. "I'm a bad friend. I should've been there for you."

Toushiro blinked at him. "Okay, but I don't know what you're talking about."

Ichigo grinned. "Shunsui and Gin talked to me. I'm on board."

He had a bad feeling about this. "With what?"

"Team Toushiro."

Toushiro knew he should have kept his mouth shut. "See, I lent voice to thought and that was my mistake."

"If you want to marry Momo, then, damn it, so do I…"

"Okay."

"…want that, you know, to happen to you."

Toushiro nodded. "I get it."

"Do you? Because this is about love."

Gin and Shunsui had finally corrupted the kid. "I think you have a different motivation."

Ichigo's smile widened. "Laughs?"

"Yes."

"Sure, but also as much love, really, as I think either one of us are comfortable with."

"Yes." Toushiro was definitely going to regret this. He just knew it.

Ichigo nodded. "Well, let me start here: have you asked her?"

"Yes."

"And she said no?"

Toushiro groaned. "This is excruciating."

What was even worse was the fact that Rangiku, Shunsui, and Gin were waiting for them inside the building they were using for the debate camp. Ichigo grinned at the others.

"He was wondering, the Team Toushiro meeting. Toushiro doesn't need to be there, right?"

Toushiro sighed. "I wasn't really wondering."

"Why don't you just do your job as a man and get that nice girl pregnant?" Shunsui teased.

"I did," the words slipped out before he could think.

Though the looks on their faces might be worth it.

"Wait, what?"

"What?"

Toushiro sighed. The cat was out of the bag. "Momo's pregnant."

Shunsui looked completely stunned. "Toushiro, Momo's pregnant?"

Toushiro nodded. "With twins."

It was ironic. Their difficulties with having children had been one of the factors that had split up his and Momo's marriage the first time. It hadn't been the only issue, but it had been a contributing factor. They had only been together (though it was something between dating and full cohabitation) again for about four months when Momo had gotten pregnant.

"This is incredible," Gin grinned.

"And they're yours?" Shunsui asked.

Toushiro nodded. "Yes."

"Both of them?"

Rangiku smacked Shunsui on the shoulder.

Toushiro rolled his eyes. "I'm going upstairs."

As he left, he could still hear them conspiring.

"Well, we're going to have to step this up now."

He had the feeling he was doomed.

* * *

They reconvened for more practice after dinner. Shunsui paused in the doorway when he saw Urahara and Gin talking.

"Hey."

"Good evening, Mr. President."

"Did you have a good day?" Urahara asked.

Gin nodded. "Yes, sir. We haven't found the answer we like on the Ginjo question yet."

"You pay for these things for such a long time. Too long, don't you think?"

"I absolutely do, and I don't know why we struggle with it."

"We made a mistake. I corrected it. I'll make more.

"Yes. Humans can't rebut that. It's prevent defense and has the added merit of being true."

"Am I going to lose New Hampshire?"

"Yes, sir."

Urahara sighed. "I don't mind blowing the knucklehead stuff like Ginjo... Ginjo's not knucklehead, but...if I'm making mistakes there, how do I know I'm not doing it when it comes to matters like death and destruction?"

Gin shrugged. "Well, probably you don't, 'cause there's no manual. Sir, we expect the President to face the world in his own way, for his own time. Also, luckily for all of us, you have better advisors in that area than you do in domestic and political policy."

Urahara nodded, back to business. "All right. When we're done tonight, we should talk about moving money to Ohio."

"Yes, sir, and maybe making a stop in Orange County. You know, our candidate in the 47th is such a dynamo that he's in the hospital with his fourth heart attack."

Urahara sighed again. "Not anymore. He's dead."

Shunsui winced. That wasn't exactly good. He moved to join the other two men. The others began trickling in the room, and everyone took up their positions for the debate practice.

"And stay up in my face, okay?" Urahara said.

"Yes, sir."

Urahara looked around the room. "I swear to God, the winner of this debate's going to be the next president. Anybody want to be on the losing team?"

They all shook their heads. Shunsui grinned.

"No, sir."

The president nodded. "Then let's pump it up. Let's go, Rangiku."

Rangiku nodded and began the practice debate. "Good evening, and welcome to the Presidential debate between President Kisuke Urahara and Senator Sosuke Aizen being brought to you from the University of California, San Diego. The format agreed to by both candidates, is as follows: A candidate will have 90-seconds to respond, followed with a 60-second questioning by his opponent, followed by 60-second summation. By virtue of a coin toss, Mr. President, the first question goes to you."

They still had a lot of work to do, but they were going to win this one. Shunsui knew it. And with any luck, they could sort out whatever was going on between Toushiro and Momo as well.


	95. Game On

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Game On**

Toushiro couldn't believe what he was hearing. "A crisis of confidence?"

Jyuushiro nodded. "Yes."

Toushiro frowned. "I don't understand."

Jyuushiro just sighed. "I was on the helicopter with him earlier this morning, and I'm telling you he's second guessing himself, he's revising answers in his head-"

Toushiro cut him off. "Jyuushiro?"

The chief of staff just shrugged. "I know."

The final presidential debate was tomorrow. There was a lot riding on it. The polls were about dead even. Toushiro and his staff had been working to prepare President Urahara for the last week.

"When I left him, he was ready. I don't understand. He's ready. You can see it."

Jyuu just shook his head again. "Not this morning."

"What happened to 'steady as she goes'?"

"A smart guy said the Presidential elections are won and lost on one square foot of real estate." Jyuu pointed to his head. "Up here."

Toushiro threw his hands up in the air. "Well, that's great."

"Yeah."

He took a deep breath. "All right, we still got a day and half before he debates. We'll go back to school."

Jyuushiro frowned at that. "I think that's just going to pour gas on the problem."

"What do you want to do?"

"We've got a two-minute drill right now. I think whatever answers he gives we should just say 'That's terrific, Mr. President.'"

That didn't sound like a good idea to him. "Then what's the point of the two-minute drill?"

"We got five of them scheduled before tomorrow night. We're using one of them for this." Jyuushiro shrugged.

"This is crazy. I don't believe this."

"That's terrific, Mr. President."

Toushiro just rolled his eyes. "All right."

Gin joined them as they started making their way to the Oval Office.

"Jyuushiro-" Gin started.

Toushiro cut him off. "Listen, we're going to do something in the in the drill right now."

Gin frowned. "What?"

"No notes, just positive reinforcement."

"Why?"

Toushiro just sighed. "He has a problem this morning."

The trio spotted Shunsui ahead of them in the hallway.

"Shunsui!"

"We're still looking for ten words." Jyuushiro told him.

Shunsui made a face. "I'm still looking for them, too."

"Ten words, ten words- let's go."

"We're going to expand the field." Shunsui tried out.

Toushiro knew that the right ten word answer might make or break the debate. The problem was they hadn't found it just set. Rangiku was waiting for them just outside of the Oval Office.

"No notes during this drill." Toushiro reminded everyone.

Rangiku blinked. "What's that?"

"No notes during the drill."

"Why?" Shunsui wanted to know.

"He's in his head."

Shunsui was frowning. "There's pretty important feedback in the two-minute drills."

"We've got four more. We've got one on the plane." Toushiro frowned at Rangiku. "You know you've got a ten dollar bill in there on your clipboard."

She just shrugged. "Yeah. I owe it to someone."

Ichigo appeared in the doorway. "You can all go on in."

"Thank you."

Urahara looked up from his desk as they entered. "Ten words. Ten words."

Shunsui sighed this time. "We don't have them yet, Mr. President."

"All right, let's do a drill."

Rangiku started. "Mr. President, despite a rise in tension around the globe, you've held up funding for a missile defense shield."

"Too much money for too little protection," Urahara replied.

"Good."

"Next."

"Sir, you oppose a voucher system that would offer children a choice of better schools"

Urahara cut Shunsui off. "That would offer some children a choice of better schools, but I haven't given up the ghost on better schools for everybody, and vouchers drain money from that goal."

He seemed to be doing pretty well so far. Toushiro asked the next question.

"Mr. President, this next question is on capital punishment, which you oppose: If your youngest niece Rukia was raped and murdered, would you not want to see the man responsible put to death?"

Urahara paused. "First of all, it's important to understand the President doesn't make that decision, though he appoints the Supreme Court Justices who do so. What…any… um… All right, I'm not going to say that. I'll just go right to… No, I don't. I think you know that I'm opposed… Let's not do that. I haven't seen any evidence that it's a deterrent, and there are more effective... In my state-"

Toushiro could see it all unraveling. "Oh my God."

The president frowned. "What?"

Toushiro was looking at Jyuu. "You weren't kidding."

He turned to Urahara. What's the matter with you? I just mentioned your favorite niece being murdered, and you're giving us an answer that's not only soporific, it's barely human! Yes, you'd want to see him put to death. You'd want it to be cruel and unusual, which is why it's probably a good idea that fathers of murder victims don't have legal rights in these situations. Now, we're going back to school."

There was dead silence, and Toushiro suddenly realized that he had just yelled at the President of the United States. Then everyone burst into laughed. Urahara was grinning.

"Let's go, ten bucks. Crisis of confidence." Urahara looked at Jyuushiro as he collected money from the other staffers. "You did one square foot of real estate."

"Yes, I did."

"Ten bucks for you." President Urahara turned back to Toushiro. "And you, you big bear, come to me. I'm going to kiss you right on the mouth."

Toushiro backed away slowly.

Laughing, Rangiku handed the ten dollar bill from her clipboard to Urahara. "Ten bucks."

"Anything else, sir?" Jyuushiro asked.

"Work hard."

"Thank you, sir." They chorused before leaving the room.

Still chuckling, Shunsui turned to Toushiro. "Sorry about that. It was the President idea. He bet us you couldn't stay quiet if he gave a bad answer."

Toushiro began to grin. He might just have been had, but he wasn't worried about the debate. Not any more.

"What?" Shunsui asked, clearly puzzled.

"He's ready."

* * *

Toushiro watched Momo and Rangiku discuss something with concern. He loved both women, but in combination they could at times be very dangerous to his sanity. Which was not something he needed right at the moment as Air Force One was currently on route to the final Presidential Debate of the campaign. Still, he might be able to use that debate to his advantage.

"Rangiku, I need Congresswoman Hinamori for just a moment."

Rangiku arched her eyebrow at him but headed off to another part of the plane, probably to find Gin.

"Thank you." He smiled at his ex-wife. "Momo?"

She smiled up at him. "She's nervous. These things are won and lost in the spin rooms."

"Not this one."

"You think so?"

Toushiro smiled. "I know so."

Momo wrinkled her nose at him. "Don't get overconfident."

"That ship's sailed. Hey you want to know something? Rangiku doesn't like campaigning."

"Why not?"

"Believe it or not, because it takes time away from helping. I really like that about her, don't you?"

Momo nodded. "Yeah."

"Good. Then marry me again."

Momo rolled her eyes at him. "No. What else you got?"

"All right. Let's make it interesting. Let's add incentive. The President wins the debate tonight and you marry me again."

Momo just shook her head. "How about the President wins the debate tonight, he gets elected President again?"

There were times when Toushiro rather thought she was just enjoying this game of him asking her too much to say yes.

"See, that's the difference between you and me. You're small-time. And that's why the twins are going to need their father around full-time. 'Cause your thing would be a terrible trait. A terrible family trait to pass on to little," he pulled two names out of the air at random, "Beatrice and Bluto."

Momo laughed. "I'm naming them Beatrice and Bluto now. I don't care if they're boys or girls."

* * *

Nanao had to admit that flying on Air Force one did beat commercial flights. Except for the fact that on commercial flights she didn't pulled into corners by jumpy presidential aides.

"What's going on?" She asked the young man.

Ichigo looked agitated. "Okay. As I understand it, it was the last debate of the first campaign."

Nanao frowned. "Is everything all right?"

"No. Moments before the debate started, the President went out to the alley to sneak a cigarette, only he lit his necktie on fire."

Nanao sighed. "Yes."

"And Shunsui gave him his, and he won and now it's his game tie. And it got ripped at the cleaners by a cleaning solvent we probably shouldn't use anymore."

Nanao wasn't entirely sure where this was going. "Did you tell him?"

"No! But that's a different conversation. My point is," Ichigo held up a tie, "doesn't this look an awful lot like the real one?"

She blinked. "I don't remember what the real one looked like, but where did you get a tie on the plane?"

"The neck of the Deputy Labor Secretary but what the hell am I thinking? You can't pull off this kind of fake out. Now it becomes the bad luck tie. Bad things will happen in that tie. No, you've got to face the music and dance alone."

Nanao rolled her eyes. Clearly the stress of the campaign was getting to Ichigo. "You know what? I think maybe you and the President are obsessing on the tie. I'm going to throw this notion out on the stoop and see if the cat licks it up. I think the President's performance in the debate had actually very little to do with the tie."

Ichigo just stared at her. "Okay. You heard me say it was his game tie right?"

"Yeah."

"Okay."

Nanao just shook her head. They just had this debate and one last week before the election to get through. Somehow she didn't think that everyone was going to manage to stay sane in that time period.

* * *

This was it. The last presidential debate of his career was about to start. Kisuke was backstage with his staff and his wife preparing. He had to admit to being slightly nervous. Or he would be if he wasn't busy convincing Ichigo that it wasn't the end of the world that his lucky tie was ruin. Urahara might have wanted to wear that particular tie, but this wasn't the end of the world.

"I guess what I don't understand is this. Have I ever exhibited any evidence that I'd be mad if a tie got ruined?"

Ichigo shook his head. "No, sir."

"No, I'm not that guy."

"This tie was special," Ichigo said.

Kisuke just shrugged. "The chemicals at the dry cleaner don't know that."

Over the loudspeaker came an announcement. "Can we have President Urahara and Senator Aizen to the stage, please? This is their two-minute warning."

"Shunsui?" Kisuke asked.

The man nodded, beginning to herd people out of the room. "Yeah. Guys, we're going to give them the room now."

Rangiku grinned at him. "Bring it, boss."

Kisuke kissed her cheek.

Shunsui held out a hand to shake. "Nothing but strikes."

Gin was next in line. "Game on."

Toushiro stepped forward. "I just assumed you wanted to include me."

Once his staff was gone, Kisuke turned to his wife. Yoruichi smiled at him.

"Well, it's in the bag. You have someone here to show off for."

Kisuke grinned. "My nieces are here?"

"Are you kidding? Rukia's wearing makeup."

"Well, I don't approve of that."

His wife just laughed. "You understand she's twenty, right?"

"I don't approve of that, either. Remember the tie Shunsui had to give me at the last minute?"

Yoruichi smirked at him. "Yeah. I heard that happen. So, do you think there's any point in still having the debate?"

Kisuke just sighed, remembering. "There was a lot of juice in that tie. It was like in the last seconds. Just the energy getting me out on stage-"

Yoruichi cut him off. "Well, tough."

Ichigo stood in the doorway. "Sir?"

Kisuke nodded at him. "Yeah."

He turned back to his wife. "I got to go."

Yoruichi grinned at him. "We'll do mushy later. So, for now, I just got to say I love you so much that my head's going to fly off. But, more importantly, game on, boyfriend! Let's go!"

Kisuke nodded. "Okay."

Then the smile on his wife's face shifted slightly. "By the way, I feel bad. I don't think I've done enough to help you prepare for this debate."

Kisuke frowned. "Why are you telling me this now?"

That was when he saw the scissors she was holding. Before he really realized what was going on, she had reached out and cut his tie in half.

"Just 'cause."

Urahara looks down at his tie in shock then back up at Yoruichi. Her grin was clearly smug.

"Oh, my God. You're insane. Are you? You're insane! Ichigo!"

Over the loudspeaker came, "Thirty seconds, please."

Kisuke practically ran out into the hallway where his staff was waiting. Yoruichi was swinging the tie around and laughing. As they headed for the stage, Ichigo looked close to panicking. Kisuke quite frankly wasn't far behind him. His lovely wife had lost her mind.

"Shunsui, we need your tie," Ichigo yelled.

The deputy chief of staff looked stunned. "What the hell?"

"Take it off!"

Nanao wrangled Shunsui's tie off, handing it to Ichigo who helped Kisuke get the dam thing on

"What happened?" Rangiku demanded.

"My wife cut my tie off with scissors."

Shunsui looked absolutely stunned. "Why?"

"I don't think we have that kind of time, Shunsui."

The stage manager appeared. "Folks, can I get you to the stage, please. Fifteen seconds."

The group of them almost tumbled out of the stage entrance when the reached it. Between the eight of them, they had managed to get Shunsui's tie around Kisuke's neck and fastened properly. The moderator of the debate was introducing the candidates.

"With that, ladies and gentlemen, President Kisuke Urahara of New Hampshire, and Senator Sosuke Aizen of Florida."

Yoruichi fixed his collar and gave him a quick kiss. Kisuke walked onto the stage and shook Aizen's hand. Then he took his place at one of the podiums. It was time to win this debate.


	96. A Finale Debate

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**A Final Debate**

The staff took up their positions in a makeshift command center. Outside of this room there would be a horde of reporters waiting. This would be where they watched the debate and sent staff members out to make comments to the press and spin as necessary. President Urahara and Governor Aizen walked on stage, shook hands, then went to their podiums. The staff had a bank of monitors set up so they could watch every little detail as it happened.

The moderator explained the rules of the debate. "The rules for tonight's debate are as follows: A candidate will be asked a question by one of the panelists, and he will have ninety seconds to respond. His opponent will then have sixty seconds with which to ask a question and get an answer, though it must be limited to the same topic. There will be two minutes for closing statements at the end. By virtue of a coin toss, Senator Aizen, the first question is for you."

A man stepped up to the microphone. "Senator Aizen, good evening."

Aizen smiled. "Good evening.

"Perhaps the biggest philosophical difference between you and the President is over the role of the federal government itself and whether national problems really have national solutions. Can you explain your view?"

"Well, first, let me say good evening and thank you. It's a privilege to be here. My view of this is simple we don't need a Federal Department of Education telling us our children have to learn Esperanto, they have to learn Eskimo poetry."

"Eskimo poetry?" A staff member asked.

"Shh!" Rangiku hissed as she watched. Aizen was still talking.

"[on TV] Let the states decide. Let the communities decide on health care, on education, on lower taxes, not higher taxes. Now, he's going to throw a big word at you 'unfunded mandate'. If Washington lets the states do it, it's an unfunded mandate. But what he doesn't like is the federal government losing power. But I call it the ingenuity of the American people."

The moderator nodded. "President Urahara, you have sixty seconds for a question and an answer."

Rangiku bit her lip as she waited for Urahara's response.

Urahara didn't smile. "Well, first of all, let's clear up a couple of things. 'Unfunded mandate' is two words, not one big word."

Rangiku let out a cheer. She wasn't the only one. Urahara kept on talking.

"There are times when we're fifty states and there are times when we're one country, and have national needs. And the way I know this is that Florida didn't fight Germany in World War Two or establish civil rights. You think states should do the governing wall-to-wall. That's a perfectly valid opinion. But your state of Florida got twelve point six billion dollars in federal money last year from Nebraskans, and Virginians, and New Yorkers, and Alaskans, with their Eskimo poetry." Now Urahara smiled. "Twelve point six out of a state budget of fifty billion, and I'm supposed to be using this time for a question, so here it is: Can we have it back, please?"

"Game on." Shunsui pumped his fist in the air.

"Oh my God!" Rangiku laughed. That had been amazing. Urahara was definitely in the zone.

Gin grinned at her with a knowing smirk. Urahara was brining his A game.

"Mr. President, the next question is for you."

The debate continued, and Urahara continued to dominate. Toushiro's strategy had come out of the polling. All of it had said that Urahara was going to be seen as arrogant. Next to Aizen's affable persona, that had seemed like a problem until at a four a.m. meeting that had gone on far too long Toushiro had realized that it was really a gift. If Urahara was going to be seen as arrogant no matter what he did, he might as well be arrogant and use it to his advantage. Of course, it did help that for the most part, Urahara was right and he knew it. And that came through every time he opened his mouth.

Aizen wasn't doing nearly so well. Rangiku smirked as she watched the senator respond to a question.

"…and the partisan bickering. Now, I want people to work together in this great country. And that's what I did in Florida. I brought people together. And that's what I'll do as your President. End the logjam, end the gridlock, and bring Republicans together with Democrats, 'cause Americans are tired of partisan politics."

"Mr. President?" The moderator asked.

Urahara shrugged slightly. "Actually, what you've done in Florida is bring the right together with the far right. And I don't think Americans are tired of partisan politics; I think they're tired of hearing career politicians diss partisan politics to get a gig. I've tried it before, they ain't buying it. That's okay, though. That's okay, though, 'cause partisan politics is good. Partisan politics is what the founders had in mind. It guarantees that the minority opinion is heard, and as a lifelong possessor of minority opinions, I appreciate it. But if you're troubled by it, Senator, you should know, in this campaign, you've used the word "liberal" seventy-four times in one day. It was yesterday."

The moderator nodded. "Senator Aizen, many economists have stated that the tax cut, which is centerpiece of your economic agenda, could actually harm the economy. Is now really the time to cut taxes?"

Aizen smiled. "You bet it is. We need to cut taxes for one reason. The American people know how to spend their money better than the federal government does."

"Mr. President, your rebuttal."

Urahara nodded. "There it is."

There was silence amongst the staffers. For the most part. One of the junior staffers was frowning though.

"What the hell?"

"He's got it." Rangiku told him.

It was clear to her that Urahara had just found the answer they had been looking for. The ten words that could make or break the debate. And he was going to hammer the final nail in the coffin with that answer.

Urahara wasn't exactly smiling, but they could all see his confidence. "That's the ten-word answer my staff's been looking for for the last two weeks. There it is. Ten-word answers can kill you in political campaigns. They're the tip of the sword. Here's my question: What are the next ten words of your answer? Your taxes are too high? So are mine. Give me the next ten words. How are we going to do it? Give me ten after that, I'll drop out of the race right now. Every once in a while…every once in a while, there's a day with an absolute right and an absolute wrong, but those days almost always include body counts. Other than that, there aren't very many unnuanced moments in leading a country that's way too big for ten words. I'm the President of the United States, not the President of the people who agree with me. And by the way, if the left has a problem with that, they should vote for somebody else."

Rangiku reached for Gin's hand. They had won the debate. Now all that was left was winning the election.


	97. Breaking the Tension

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Breaking the Tension**

Election day always caused a combination of excitement and anxiety for Shunsui. He had slipped away from the office to cast his own vote, content with the knowledge that Nanao wouldn't let anything go off the rails while he was gone. This time around was especially nerve wracking. Not only would the results of the election determine if Shunsui was keeping his job for the next four years, but there were some other things riding on it as well. He and Jyuu had made a deal about two years into their tenure at the White House. If they won re-election, Shunsui could officially date Nanao (if she said yes that was), and Jyuushiro would rearrange the bureaucratic mess so that Nanao technically reported to him instead of Shunsui. So he had more than one reason to want Urahara to win tonight.

He stepped out of the voting booth and a woman handed him a sticker for his jacket that said he had voted.

A man approached him. "You're Shunsui Kyoraku, aren't you?"

Shunsui nodded. "Yes."

"Yeah. I've seen you're picture a lot. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Urahara's on the ballot for the Democratic Party and for the Statehood Party. It's okay that I voted for him in both columns, right?"

Shunsui frowned. "No, you can't vote for him in two columns."

"I already did."

Shunsui sighed. "You're ballots going to be invalidated."

"What the hell for?" The man looked a little irate.

"You're only allowed to vote once."

"He's on the ballot twice."

"He's on the ballot more than that. He's on the ballot as the Liberal Party nominee."

"I'm saying I'm for Statehood."

"Me, too, and I'm saying yours is a vote we didn't get."

Another man interrupted them. "I'm so sorry to interrupt. Did I hear you say that you're supposed to vote for the President in both columns?"

Shunsui shook his head. "No. No, uh, you can vote for the President in whatever column you want, but you can only vote once."

An older woman joined them. "He's right."

Shunsui was beginning to feel a little twitchy. "Yes."

She smiled at him. "And I'll tell you a secret for a shortcut: If you just, say, vote for one Democrat and leave all the rest of the boxes blank, then you voted for the Democrats."

Oh dear lord. How did he attract these people? Shunsui took a deep breath, trying not to sound upset. "No. It doesn't. You can't vote for a party. You have to vote for a person."

The little old lady just smiled at him. "No, I think you're wrong."

"I'm not."

"I left all but one box blank."

"Well, then you voted for none but one candidate." Which was frustrating since this was going to be a close election anyway.

"Nuts."

"Did you vote for the President? Was the President the one box?" He couldn't help asking.

The woman just shrugged. "Ah, who remembers?"

"It was a minute and a half ago."

"Don't be rude."

"I'm sorry. Thank you for voting." Shunsui decided he had better get out of here before something else happened to make his stress levels rise. This wasn't exactly the best way to start an election.

A pretty woman in a red coat walked up to him. "Excuse me."

Not again. "Yes. What?"

He took a breath and tried that again. "Yes, hello."

"You're who I think you are, right?"

Shunsui shrugged. "I can be whoever you want."

She laughed. "That's funny."

"Thank you."

"Um, I saw you getting run over by those people."

"Just part of the job ma'am." And yet he still wanted his job for some reason.

"Mm. I guess you hear some pretty silly questions."

Shunsui shrugged again. "Well, I'm just worried 'cause they all tried to vote for Urahara, and if this keeps up, we're headed towards biggest electoral upset in history and nobody's going to be able to figure out why."

She laughed once again. "Right, well, it's the same thing with my parents. I tell them to just rank the candidates in order of preference."

"Right." Then he realized what she had just said. "No!"

Another woman patted him on the shoulder as she passed by. "Mr. Kyoraku, I voted for your boy in all three boxes."

"No. Listen to me. Your ballot is invalid." Shunsui found himself fighting not to grab these people and shake them. How to vote was not that hard to understand. "Punch the box next to the candidate you prefer once - nothing else."

There was something in the woman in red's eyes as she stopped walking. "I'm sorry, one more thing."

Shunsui sighed. "Yes."

"I have a message from Toushiro Hitsugaya."

Shunsui had not been expecting that. "What?"

"I have a message from Toushiro Hitsugaya," she repeated.

"You know Toushiro?" Shunsui was frowning.

She just grinned at him. "He says ten dollars."

That was when Shunsui realized that everyone he had talked to in the last five minutes was standing around laughing with one another and the puzzle kicked into place. Toushiro was getting revenge for the senior staff's bet with the president just before the debate.

"I see. You guys are a little troupe. A little acting troupe with a "U"."

One of the men grinned at him. "Yes sir, we are. Can I give you a card?"

"No." He just wanted to go back to his office and deal with normal election craziness.

"Mr. Hitsugaya said you were a little edgy on election days, so, just to show there are no hard feelings, how about if I go down there and vote for the President? Right now."

Shunsui felt some of the tension ease. Obviously these people had actually voted probably, and this was a hoax invented by Toushiro. Things would be fine. "As a matter of fact, that would be nice."

"No problem. Do you happen to know if I need to be, I don't know, pre-registered or something?"

Shunsui faceplamed. He couldn't tell if the man was joking or not. "Yes!"

He was going to kill Toushiro.


	98. Tempting Fate

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Tempting Fate**

Finding something to do on election night was never hard. Finding something to do that didn't spawn an argument was another story. And figuring out the back drop for the president's speech at the end of the evening was not an easy task, especially since it could change depending on whether he lost or won. Right now, they were figuring out what to do if they won.

"The teachers have five hundred red and blue Urahara banners. That, plus six hundred from building trades," Kanazaki said.

Gin shook his head. "No."

"I'm sorry?"

"No."

"Why?"

"The partisanship's over. We elected a President. This is for everybody. No banners tonight, just the American flag."

Rangiku decided to jump in, this would be her press conference after all. "Okay, but we're using the seal and I'll put Senate and House leadership up there."

Her boyfriend (even if they weren't announcing that as official until after the election) shot her a look. "No balloons, no confetti."

"Why?"

Gin shrugged. "It's not a party."

Rangiku rolled her eyes at him. "It is a party."

"Yeah, but we won. We don't have to pander."

Toushiro glared at him. "Please don't say that."

"On your birthday, don't we pander to you?" Rangiku asked.

"Not as much as I'd like."

"I'm not kidding," Toushiro was glaring at them both now.

Rangiku frowned. "What are you babbling about?"

"We haven't won anything yet."

Rangiku just shrugged. "The speech is done."

Toushiro nodded. "Two speeches are done."

"What's the second?"

"I've got a speech if he wins, I've got a speech if he doesn't."

"You wrote a concession?" Gin asked.

"Of course I wrote a concession. You want to tempt the wrath of the whatever from high atop the thing?" Toushiro was almost yelling now.

Gin shook his head. "No."

"Then go outside, turn around three times and spit. What the hell's the matter with you?"

"It's like twenty-five degrees outside." Gin protested.

"Go." Toushiro pointed.

"Hey," Shunsui called joining them. He looked a little frazzled.

Rangiku bit back a giggle and put on a fake Russian accent. "Oh, Mr. Kyoraku. I see your picture in the magazine. Tell me, if I swallow my ballot, does it still-"

Shunsui cut her off. "A little election day humor. That's great."

Gin pointed at Toushiro. "He wrote a concession speech."

Shunsui just shrugged. "Of course he wrote a concession speech. Why wouldn't he? What possible reason would he have for not writing a concession speech?"

"The wrath from high atop the thing," Gin suggested.

Toushiro just glared. "He upped and said we were going to-"

Shunsui cut him off before he got any further, looking at Gin. "No, you got to go outside, turn around three times and curse."

"Spit," Toushiro said.

"Spit and curse."

"Do everything." Toushiro suggested. "Go!"

When he didn't move, Shunsui repeated the instruction. "Go!"

Rangiku just shook head as Gin finally left the room.

Shunsui started muttering to himself. "These things have a half-life. You just can't-"

Toushiro interrupted him. "All right, we're meeting again, when?"

"First round of exits at eleven," Kanazaki told him.

Toushiro nodded. "Eleven unless there's a reason earlier."

This was the best opportunity she was going to get. Rangiku caught Toushiro's eye. "Can I have you two seconds?"

He shrugged. "Yeah. What do you need?"

"Hang on." Ran gestured to his office.

"There's trouble?" he asked.

Rangiku sighed. "A little bit."

"For the President?"

She shook her head. "For you."

Rangiku sighed as they entered Toushiro's office. She really didn't want to deal with this right now, but Toushiro deserved the warning, and Momo definitely did. She knew that you didn't announce a pregnancy until after the first three months for the most part, but once the news got out, there was no keeping it quiet.

"Listen, I know better then to stick my face in your personal life except, you know, for sport."

"What happened?"

"Roll Call's got it from the Office of Congress's Attending Physician that Momo's pregnant."

Toushiro frowned. "When did they start doing more than flu vaccinations?"

"They needed updated medical records."

"Roll Call doesn't need updated medical records though, do they?"

"They're going to connect the dots. It's going to be bad for her and bad for you." The media loved a good scandal, and Toushiro and Momo were still figuring out just how to make their relationship work again. It didn't help that they both had high profile jobs. Or that Momo was being stubborn about the whole situation. Rangiku knew that the congresswoman had reasons to want to take her time and sort all of the complications in their lives out before committing to anything, but it wouldn't be long before everyone knew about the pregnancy.

"You mean bad for us."

"What's her plan?"

Toushiro shrugged. "I don't know."

"Toushiro," Rangiku sighed.

"I don't know. We haven't talked about it."

"She's got to be proactive." Momo deserved better than having her pregnancy becoming the latest major Washington scandal, especially since it really wasn't much of a scandal. But once the election was over, the press were going to look for something else to make a big deal out of.

"Yeah."

"You'll talk to her?" Rangiku asked.

"Yes."

"Thanks."

She was heading back to her own office when she caught sight of Gin with snow in his hair heading back towards the bullpen. "Did you?"

He nodded. "Yes, I turned, I cursed, I spat, it froze."

Rangiku just shrugged. "Can't be too careful."

Gin rolled his eyes, shivering. "I think you can."

Rangiku just grinned. They were all going to be completely crazy before the night was over, but at least they weren't the only ones in the asylum.

* * *

Yoruichi Urahara stepped out of the voting booth, and the crowd waiting applauded her.

One of the reporters stepped forward. "Mrs. Urahara, can you tell us who you voted for?"

Yoruichi smirked. "Nobody. I was just fixing my makeup."

"How are you spending the rest of the day?" Another reporter asked.

"Filling out Chicago ballots; just pitching in. My husband's going to be flying around thanking supporters."

"Is there any suspense at all today?" Someone else asked.

She shrugged. "Well, there are about fourteen competitive Senate races, about forty-six House races and right here in New Hampshire there's a 600 million dollar bond issue, plus no one's elected my husband President yet."

As if on cue, Kisuke stepped out of the polling booth beside hers. The reporters turned to him.

"Mr. President, polls show a dog fight here in New Hampshire. How would you feel if you won the election but lost your home state?"

Kisuke just smiled. "Better than if I won my home state but lost my home country. The only poll that matters closes in seventeen hours."

"Did you vote for the bond issue?"

"Title 63, Chapter 659, Section 43 of New Hampshire election code says electioneering is prohibited within a corridor ten feet wide and extending a distance from the entrance door of the building as determined by the moderator where the election is being held. If anyone knows what that means, yeah, I voted for the bond issue. It's going to improve public education without a tax abatement."

"Mr. President, do you have anything to say to Senator Aizen today?"

"Well, one way or another I imagine we'll be talking tonight. I got to get back. You can heckle Yoruichi for awhile. She's taking the next plane."

He leaned in to kiss her. Yoruichi kissed him back, ignoring the press. She didn't care right now. She knew they were going to win tonight.

* * *

It was one thirty in the afternoon, and the numbers in his hands hadn't changed in the past five minutes. They were good numbers: URAHARA [D]: 597,343, AIZEN [R]: 551,794. However, they weren't the final numbers. Shunsui sighed.

"Nothing's happening right bow. By the end of the night, a hundred million votes will be cast. Polls have been open in the East for six and a half hours. You know how many votes have been cast? One percent. Everybody votes after work. Not me, I vote first thing. The VNS exit polls are down in Michigan for a little while. And it's raining Oregon. This is like the ionization blackout period."

Nanao rolled her eyes at him. "Yeah, I'll be right back."

"You bet." Spotting Toushiro coming out of his office, Shunsui called, "Toushiro."

To his surprise, Momo Hinamori was the one to answer.

"He can't talk," Momo told him.

Shunsui shrugged. "Okay."

"We're late for the first sonogram." She was definitely glowing.

"Ooh, big needle. Eighteen inches. Right in the stomach, Toushiro. Don't look directly at it."

Momo rolled her eyes at him. "Yeah, that's amniocentesis."

"Hurts like heartbreak."

Momo arched an eyebrow. "You've had that procedure?"

Shunsui shook his head. "Not me personally. Toushiro, when you get there, it's a good idea to slip the nurse something. Tell her you're hoping for a smooth second trimester."

Momo blinked at him. "You grease the nurse?"

It was Toushiro's turn to roll his eyes. "He's kidding. Give me one second, would you? I'll catch right up."

"Sure." She shook her head, peering over Shunsui's shoulder to look at the current numbers before leaving. "Hey, sports fans, this is getting exciting.

As soon as she left, Toushiro asked. "So what do you think, like fifty bucks?"

Shunsui shrugged. "I don't know. It's your first, it's twins. I think I'd give her a hundred."

"Yeah, okay."

Shunsui watched the man leave. Teasing Toushiro about his impending fatherhood was almost enough to distract one from an election. Almost.

* * *

Momo perched on the exam bed, whistling and kicking her feet slightly. She was more than a little excited about the sonogram. Toushiro sat in one of the chairs, looking a little nervous and uncomfortable. It probably hadn't been the best idea to schedule this appointment for election night, but it was the only time that had been open.

"Roll Call has the pregnancy," Toushiro blurted out.

"What?" That wasn't what she had expected him to say.

"Roll Call has the pregnancy," Toushiro repeated. "Rangiku just told me."

"When?"

"A little while ago."

"Why are you telling me now?" Momo asked.

He shrugged. "I didn't want to ruin the day for you."

Momo just shook her head. "Well, okay, but then why are you telling me now?"

"I couldn't help it."

Toushiro sighed. "Just out of curiosity, how long did you think this was going to be covert? These are twins, Momo. You think you're going to go on Meet the Press and they're not going to notice you're the size of a school? Why not just come out and say "I'm expecting twins. I couldn't be happier. The father's my ex-husband, Toushiro Hitsugaya, to whom I'll be remarried on a date to be decided upon. I'm thinking Christmas."

She sighed. "I'm not marrying you again."

Mostly because they were actually still married. Momo had discovered almost a year ago that there had been a snafu with their divorce paperwork, and in fact, she and Toushiro were still married. At the time, she hadn't been sure what to do about it. Then it had gotten pushed to the back of her priorities by other things. And then she had started dating Toushiro again, and it had become a way to tease him. Besides, she wasn't going to make this easy for him. Of course, she was going to have to tell him about that little fact sooner rather than later now.

"Then say the first part at least."

"I hadn't announced it because you don't in the first 12 weeks because that's when most of the things go wrong," she said quietly.

He reached out and squeezed her hand. "These bodies of yours, I don't know how you live with them."

"You don't seem to mind."

Toushiro smiled at him. "I like the outsides."

The doctor walked into the room. "Hello, Momo. Toushiro."

"Hi." Momo smiled at Toushiro. "Honey, if you're going to get grossed-out and faint, you should sit."

Toushiro rolled his eyes. "She's kidding."

"How have you been feeling?" the doctor asked.

"I feel great."

"Mm-hmm. You feel like you're getting enough calcium?"

Momo just shrugged. "I don't know, what does that feel like?"

The doctor smiled. "I don't know either. It's just something we ask. We don't even care about the answer."

"You should draft a release. In fact, let that be my first act of fatherhood-drafting your release. Go back to my roots as we all must go. And now you're on offense and not defense."

Momo rolled her eyes again. This was the problem with Toushiro in election mode. "I'm not going to be on offense or defense."

"The things we do in our lives, many of them are not voluntary."

"You don't say. I think you performed your first act of fatherhood already."

Toushiro shrugged. "Yes, indeed. So let my second act be throwing you a little press conference."

"That sounds fine. I, myself, can't make it, but you have a nice time, honey."

Toushiro sighed. "Do I need to tell you the first rule of damage control?"

Momo shook her head again. She knew that she wasn't going to get him out of political mode until the election was over with, but it was really beginning to annoy her. "No, you don't, but the next time you refer to this pregnancy as damage control…"

"Get the information out early, get it out yourself, do it on your own terms."

"That's three rules."

"Momo, look. I'm not kidding. You've got…" His voice trailed off as he realized they could hear the sound of a heartbeat coming from the monitor the doctor had set up while they were talking. "What was it?"

Momo bit her lip. Her eyes were a little misty. "It was-"

"Did you hear that?" Toushiro looked like a little boy in a candy shop.

"Yeah, that was-"

"Shh."

The two of them sat there, staring at the fuzzy picture on the monitor and listening to the heartbeats, their hands entwined.

"Momo, you-you can see their heads. My kids have heads."

She couldn't help giggling. No one would believe that all it took to turn Toushiro Hitsugaya, the hard bitten political aide and speechwriter, into an incoherent mess was a fuzzy picture and the sound of two heartbeats.

* * *

"See, now there are late exits showing even with white male suburbans in New York and Chicago and Philadelphia. There's huge labor turnout. We're only losing Florida by seven- seven. Toushiro, I think this is going to be bigger than we thought." Shunsui had this feeling that they were having two separate conversations here.

"I stare at this and I stare at this and I don't know which is the boy and which is the girl. I suppose that problem will take care of itself. You know, if you stare at them for awhile, well, it's pretty gross, but still…"

Shunsui shook his head. "Okay, I'm concerned that you've turned completely into another person."

Kanazaki chose that moment to walk by them carrying a bundle of balloons. Toushiro immediately started yelling.

"Hey. I see one victory balloon before this thing is called and-"

Kanazaki had already begun to run.

"Yeah, you better run!" Toushiro turned back to Shunsui. "Huh?"

Shunsui just smiled. "Nothing."

Okay, even if they didn't win this election, it was totally worth watching Toushiro's mood swings. He couldn't wait to see what happened once the twins were born. Shunsui just hoped that if they did win their next term in office could survive the first few years of the Hitsugaya twins' life.


	99. Final Results

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.

* * *

**Final Results**

Then tension was palpable. There were only minutes until someone made it official. All that was left to do was wait for the official decision, and it seemed like every member of the staff was crowded into the communications bullpen, watching the election coverage.

"It's on. You can see it," Shunsui declared.

Toushiro just shook his head. "I'm not spitting. I'm not turning around. Union households are beating non-unions in some of these districts."

"Rangiku?" Her assistant called.

She turned. "Yeah?"

"Can you pick up three?"

Rangiku grabbed the phone; she knew what this would be. "This is Rangiku. Thanks."

She hung up with a smile.

"What was that?"

She grinned at him. "You'll see in a minute."

As she headed towards the Oval Office, Rangiku heard her assistant call the time, and then the entire office burst into cheers. They had won the election. Jyuushiro was waiting for her outside the Oval Office. The two of them grinned at each other before heading inside.

"Good evening, Mr. President."

Urahara looked up from his seat. "I feel like I should be self-deprecating. I mean, it's not inauguration. I could be funny, right? I don't think so. I think it's the wrong note. If I'm thanking campaign staff, maybe."

Rangiku poured a glass of scotch. Clearly he knew he had won. But they had one more surprise for him. Everyone had known that it had irked the president that all of the polls had expected him to lose his home state.

"What are you doing?" The president asked.

"We've got some news." She handed him the drink.

"What?"

Jyuushiro grinned. "You're going to win New Hampshire."

Urahara's face broke into a grin. It was only minutes later that Urahara joined the rest of the staff who had gathered in the Mural Room. Everyone broke into cheers. Rangiku was beaming. They had just won four more years. Tonight they were going to party.

* * *

It was either early or late, depending on your point of view, when Toushiro finally arrived at the Hinamori Victory Party. Momo had once again been elected as a congressional representative for Maryland. It was clear that people from her office had gone all out in order to celebrate. As he entered the room, Toushiro spotted Momo's campaign manager. The man grinned at him.

"Congratulations!"

Toushiro nodded. "Hey, you too."

"And congratulations on the other thing there, Papa."

He shrugged, slightly uncomfortable. "Yeah. Any idea where Mama is?"

"Uh, right over there." He pointed to where Momo stood on a stage in front of a crowd, holding a Champaign glass.

"The great state of Maryland!"

"Maryland!"

Toushiro made a beeline for her. "Momo! Momo, don't drink that-"

She downed the glass. "Mmm! It's ginger ale, crazy boy."

"Yeah, okay, ginger ale can be bad according to the latest studies. It can be very-"

She grinned at the crowd. "My man got the President reelected tonight."

The crowd cheered, and Momo kissed Toushiro. He blinked, a little dazed.

"That was very pleasant. Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Yeah."

Momo let him drag her off into a corner.

"You won by 85% of the vote."

She was smiling. "I don't really understand the 15%, but what the hell."

"Yeah, well, as long as you scraped by with a win. Look, a statement."

Momo rolled her eyes at him. "We've already been through this."

"Roll Call has it. That's why we have to deal with it."

"I don't."

It was Toushiro's turn to roll his eyes. "Congresswoman Hinamori, are you pregnant?"

"None of your business."

"You can't withhold that from your constituents."

She arched an eyebrow at him. "You're worried about me? I just won by 85%."

"I'm not worried about you."

Momo nodded. "I know. You're worried about a senior counselor fathering kids out of wedlock."

"Yeah, you know what? Single moms are a lot more sympathetic than deadbeat dads, so I wouldn't gallivant."

"You're not a deadbeat dad."

"I know that, and you know that, but if I can't protect my kids, their mom, and the President all at the same time, then I've got to quit my job, so can you help me out?"

"Yes."

"You'll make a statement?"

"No, but when they ask me who the father is, I won't tell them that, either," she teased.

"I'm the father!"

"And of course, you're at your leisure to tell them that." Then she smiled gently at him. "Toushiro, if you bothered to actually look at the divorce paperwork the lawyers sent you, you'd know that it didn't go through. There was a paperwork snafu at some point, and the divorce was never finalized."

Toushiro didn't understand. "What?"

"There was an error. We're still married."

He blinked at her as the news settled in his brain. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Well, I didn't figure it out until recently," she admitted. "Besides, you seemed determined to see the whole proposing thing through, and who am I to stop you?"

He rolled his eyes, a smiling spreading across his face. "Eighty-five percent of what kind of backward population votes for this woman?"

Momo laughed and kissed him again. "The good people of Maryland."

With a grin she turned towards the crowd and raised her empty glass. "Maryland!"

"Maryland!"

This time Toushiro joined in.

* * *

With a sigh, Kisuke settled onto the couch. It was something like two in the morning. He'd won the election, and he was finally done with all of the media appearances for the night. Yoruichi was already curled on the couch looking more than a little tired. But it had been a very good day. They had won, even if he was completely exhausted.

"Yeah. Well, we kind of knew it was going to be like this," he muttered to himself. Nobody had said being President was easy.

Jyuushiro's lips twitched. "Yes, sir."

He looked up at his chief of staff. "Retsu still here?"

Jyuushiro smiled. "Yeah."

Kisuke nodded. "All right, have a good night."

"You too."

The younger man left, and Yoruichi scooted over slightly on the couch, curling up beside him and resting her head on his shoulder. Kisuke linked their fingers. She yawned.

"Feeling too old for all night celebrations, dear?" he teased.

"I'm younger than you are, old man."

He laughed and leaned in to kiss her. "I'll give you old man"

He'd run the country without sleep before after all.

* * *

Rangiku surveyed her office, feeling rather bemused. It currently resembled a bordello more than anything else. Rangiku wasn't entirely sure where people had found the red banners, but they did add a festive effect. She also wasn't entirely sure why the trio in one corner of her office was attempting to sing The House of the Rising Sun, but she did know that they'd run out of Champaign about an hour ago. Once the Presidential election had been called and the official announcements made, the west wing of the White House had devolved into one giant party with the staff going all out in order to celebrate.

They had another four years here, and Rangiku was thrilled. Despite all of the stress and hardship that went with this job, she loved it. And she loved the people she worked with. Even when they drove her crazy. And caused problems with the press. Like the time Shunsui took over one of her press conferences when she had a root canal, and the press ended up believing there was a secret presidential plan to fight inflation. Or when Gin, Toushiro, and Shunsui chased a pair of turkeys through her press room in the middle of a briefing. She stretched, kicking her shoes off. She doubted that she would be going home tonight, but as long as she didn't have to wear her heels any longer, that was fine by her.

Gin nudged her shoulder. "You up for four more years of this?"

Rangiku laughed. "I was just thinking that I was looking forward to that."

They watched the drunken communications staff attempt to sing in silence for a few moments, Gin's arm wrapped around her waist and Rangiku leaning against him. He pressed a kiss to her temple.

"So, do you want to prank call Aizen's people?"

Rangiku just laughed. She was definitely looking forward to the next four years. Even if Gin seemed bound and determined to cause problems with the press.

* * *

There was a reason that the Chief of Staff was sneaking through the halls of the White House. He wanted to get out of here before something else happened tonight. They had gotten the president reelected. So now he was going to go home and sleep with his wife, thank you very much, and any crisis could wait until tomorrow afternoon. He hoped.

Retsu giggled at him. "You do realize that you don't have to slink around in the shadows like a thief. You actually work here."

"I don't need anyone to realize that right now. I just want to get out the door without being stopped."

She just rolled her eyes at him and held out a hand. "I'll keep anyone from waylaying us. Come here."

Linking her arm in his, they continue down the hall. Jyuushiro can hear what sounds like a rather wild party going on. He grinned at that thought but had no urge to join the other staff members. After all of the stress of the day and of the election really, he just wants to spend time with his wife. He can take a break now and enjoy a day off. Soon enough there'll be something else to deal with but hopefully not in the next twenty-four hours.

"Are you certain that you don't need to be keeping track of the races still going on? I heard that there were a number that are still too close to call."

"No," he assured her. "Shunsui's taking care of all of that."

His wife arched an eyebrow at him. "We are talking about Shunsui Kyoraku, right?"

Jyuu shrugged. "Well, it is Shunsui's job actually, and Nanao will make sure he does it."

"That makes more sense."

Arm in arm, they slipped out of the White House and into the night.

* * *

Shunsui had stolen Jyuu's office for the rest of the night. It wasn't like Jyuushiro was going to need it, and it was far enough from the ongoing victory party that he could get some work done. Okay, Nanao was probably doing more work than he was. Besides, Jyuu's couch was comfortable.

And quite frankly, he had the feeling that he was happier here than he would have been at the party. Nanao was curled up beside him on the couch as the watched the election coverage and occasionally made or accepted calls regard the few ongoing races. Nanao had managed to find both cake as well as a fresh pot of coffee somewhere, so they were really set for the rest of the evening. And since they were stuck with this duty tonight, neither of them had to come in to the office tomorrow, barring war or some major disaster. Of course, all of the races had to either be called for them to go home, but hopefully that wouldn't take too much longer.

Nanao rest her head on his shoulder as she scribbled something down on a folder. Shunsui handed her a coffee mug without thinking about it, still listening to the election official on the other end of the line. Their eyes met, and Shunsui couldn't help grinning. It didn't matter that they were probably going to lose this particular Senate race or that it was nearly three in the morning and they wouldn't be able to go home until most of the going races were settled. As long as Nanao was by his side, Shunsui was pretty sure he would manage. Though he was planning on getting some sleep sometime in the next four yes. And getting Nanao to say yes to a date.


	100. Ten Years Later

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show. Thank you to everyone who has stuck with this story and who has reviewed.

* * *

**Ten Years Later**

Laughter echoed through the room. Kisuke stood in the entry of the lobby and watched the organized chaos of his former staff and the event staff trying to work around them as they prepared for the reporters and guests who would be arriving. In half an hour, no one would be able to tell that such silliness was going on, and everyone would be acting like sober professionals. But the press weren't due to arrive for another thirty minutes, and for now the atmosphere resembled something like a family reunion. And in a way it was, Kisuke had to admit. They had been a family when he'd been in office, and even now that they had all gone their separate ways (though some more separate than others), the group was still extremely close.

A pair of dark haired children went dashing past him, and Kisuke couldn't help smirking. Toushiro definitely had his hands full with those two. Haru and Seiji Hitsugaya drove their father crazy on a regular basis. The twins could find mischief any where and had gotten themselves into more than a few scrapes. Momo caught his eyes and grinned, even as Toushiro went chasing after his children. Momo Hinamori-Hitsugaya (she had started going by that after the twins had been born) was now a senator while Toushiro had taken a teaching position at a university and seemed to be enjoying torturing his students with his comments on their writing.

Beside Momo stood Rangiku, balancing a toddler on her hip and laughing outright at Toushiro. His former press secretary had gone to work for PBS. She was perfectly happy working as a commentator and interviewer for them. Her marriage to Gin shortly after they both had left the White House really surprised no one. Gin was spending most of his time anymore as a screenwriter for several TV shows (he was driving a number of viewers crazy with some of his plot twists) and a stay at home father. Their two year old, Inari had her father wrapped around her little finger.

Of course, most of the little girls in this room had managed that. Which was probably why the Vice-President of the United States was letting his hair be braided by his six year old daughter. Jyuushiro didn't seem to mind that much, and Kisuke was pleased that his former chief of staff had let himself be talked into running. Of course, given that the ticket for that particular election had been Kyoraku-Ukitake, it really wasn't that surprising to Kisuke that result was the country was now being run in large part by Nanao Kyoraku.

Then again, probably everyone who knew Shunsui saw that coming. Nanao and Shunsui had always made for a very effective team. They had gotten married during the last year of his administration (after nearly three years of proposals), and Shunsui had then proceed to take the political world by storm while Nanao had gone back to school to get her degree. Well, actually, the young woman had ended up with two degrees and being head hunted for chief of staff positions by numerous politicians. She had turned them all down in favor of her partnership with Shunsui and raising a family. She and Retsu were watching the game of chase that the Hitsugaya twins had stared, and that Tatsuyoshi Kyoraku had decided to join in on. The leader of the free world was completely engrossed in his daughter. Miya Kyoraku had been born just last month and was the latest addition to this little family.

They were all gathered here to celebrate the opening of the Urahara Presidential Library. Which was as good an excuse as any for a family reunion.

"Uncle Kisuke, what are you smirking about?"

He turned to find Rukia grinning at him. His niece was the last to arrive at this shindig. Ichigo stood beside her, their fingers entwined, and Rukia's engagement ring was prominently displayed. He wrapped her in a hug.

"I thought Ichigo was stuck on-call."

His former aide scowled slightly. "Rukia may have convinced my boss that it was a good idea to change the schedule. I'm not sure the hospital is going to let me back in."

Kisuke just laughed. "Well, I'm glad you could make it."

"You never answered my question." Rukia arched an eyebrow at him.

Kisuke smiled at her and took Yoruichi's hand in his. "When I ran for president, everyone thought it was crazy. I thought it was crazy. I think we proved that crazy works."

"Or at least that you have to be crazy to try and run this government," his wife added.

"That too."

The four of the joined the rest of their family, and Kisuke couldn't help but thinking that while he'd done a lot of good with his presidency, the best thing he'd done was get to know these people around him, and that it had all been definitely worth it.


End file.
